Fire Bird (Book 2 of the Hayes Files)
by griffyn612
Summary: When a creature of legend descends upon Chicago, it falls to one man to prevent the worst from happening. But it's not the man you'd think. With the clock ticking and power in the balance, Woody Hayes must race against those that seek the creature for their own means. An immortal life is in jeopardy, and protecting it just might cost Woody his own.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Fire Bird

Author: Griffyn612

Rating: PG-13

Canon: Book

Spoilers: Spoilers through White Night, with mild reference to subject matter from Changes.

Warnings: Contains mild violence and language

Setting: A fan story of the Dresdenverse. Most characters are new, with a few known characters interspersed.

Disclaimer: The Dresden Files is copyright Jim Butcher. This story is licensed under the Creative Commons as derivative, noncommercial fiction.

Summary: When a creature of legend descends upon Chicago, it falls to one man to prevent the worst from happening. But it's not the man you'd think. With the clock ticking and power in the balance, Woody Hayes must race against those that seek the creature for their own means. An immortal life is in jeopardy, and protecting it just might cost Woody his own.

Chapter 1

A long day got longer when my front doorbell rang unexpectedly.

"Ugh, now what," I muttered as I dragged myself off the couch. It took more effort than it should have. I'd spent a good part of the morning filing reports at the Chicago Fire Prevention Bureau, and the afternoon and early evening was spent wrapping up an arson investigation north of the city. I'd only gotten home a short time ago, and was looking forward to a nap before going to bed.

Instead, I fumbled for my glasses on the coffee table, and then made my way to the front door, where I looked through my peephole to see who was trying to ruin what remained of the day. The sun had just set, so I had to flick on the exterior light to illuminate the bike messenger. They looked up as it came on, and I looked carefully at him. He didn't look like a flesh-eating zombie, but appearances can be deceiving.

I opened the door, and the messenger nodded pleasantly. "Good evening, sir. Express delivery. Are you Mr. Woody Hayes?" he asked.

"Yeah," I grumbled irritably. "A little late, don't you think?"

"Sorry, sir," he said without any hint of apology. "Someone paid a lot to have this delivered as soon as possible. Do you have I.D.?"

I fumbled for my pocket, but realized my wallet was on the hall table. I went to retrieve it, and showed him my driver's license. Once he'd confirmed I was the attended recipient, he held out a clipboard with a pen attached. "If you'll just sign there."

Taking it from him, I looked over the form. "Who's it from?" The only package I'd been expecting had been from my parents, and that had arrived the day before.

"A security firm, I guess?" the kid said with a shrug. "The form says some place called Monoc Securities?"

"Never heard of them," I replied with a frown as I passed back the clipboard. When he confirmed I'd signed in the right places, he passed me a paper-wrapped box.

"Thank you, sir," he said as he put the clipboard away. "Cool house, by the way."

"Yeah, thanks," I said absently, looking at the label on the package.

"Have a good evening." After he was back on the bike, the messenger took off, most likely done with his deliveries for the evening. It was already past eight-thirty in the evening, and he was probably just as eager to unwind from the day as I was. I turned and headed back in to my 'cool' house, closing and locking the door behind me.

Said house isn't your typical residence. A few years earlier, I'd been working for the city as an arson investigator when a colleague accused me of starting fires rather than simply investigating them. It'd cost me my job, but when my innocence was proven, I'd file suit. I ended up with a pile of cash to spend, and a tarnished reputation that kept me from getting a lot of work.

The pile of cash had largely gone toward purchasing my home. The old firehouse north of the Loop had been abandoned for a while, and after pulling some strings, I'd had it re-zoned for habitation. I'd manage to refinish the first floor, putting in a hallway and garage toward the front, and a living space with a small kitchenette toward the rear. The second floor had a finished bedroom and bath, but I was still working on the rest. The full kitchen on the second floor had been stripped at some point by one of its previous owners, and I was making do with completing renovations when I could.

As I headed back toward the living space, I removed the packaging. Beneath was an oak box, finely crafted and varnished. An interested trill came from the lounge area as I placed the box on the kitchen counter, and a few moments later, Sal scurried to a stop beside it.

My little friend looked like your typical salamander on first inspection, with a bright orangish-yellow coloring. His feathered gills were usually pressed tightly to his neck except for when he was excited or agitated, and his tapering tail seemed to double his length. The few that had seen him thought he was a quirky pet.

They had no idea.

In truth, Sal was a Salamander of legend. He was a fire elemental, capable of some incredible things. We'd met years earlier, when I was still a teenager, and we'd been together ever since.

"Whoa there, buddy," I said with a calming motion. Salamanders typically ate char and cinder, which meant that Sal took a particular interest in anything and everything made of wood. Over the years I'd managed to expand his diet, but keeping him from cooking up his own meal with my things seemed like a full-time job.

Sal was standing up on his hind legs so he could inspect the box. It's wasn't that large. Maybe four inches long, and maybe three tall and wide. After looking it over, I noted that the top was a sliding lid. I pushed at it with a thumb, and the top slid out one end, revealing the box's contents.

The room grew brighter the instant the lid cracked open. I squinted, and unconsciously muttered under my breath. " _Lum_."

At the command, my glasses tinted, growing as dark as sunglasses. Even that wasn't enough to protect my eyes from the light, and I had to turn my head away. Thankfully, after a few moments, the light dulled down to a more moderate level. I left my glasses tinted all the same. Once it wasn't trying to blind me, I looked in to the box.

Two things sat nestled within: a note, and a brilliant golden feather.

The feather was what was giving off all the light. It seemed to glow as I lifted it from the box and twirled it between my fingers. It was a small thing, but I'd never seen anything like it. As it spun, I caught hues of red and orange flickering, and the light played across the surfaces of the room. It continued to dim as I held it, until it was finally no brighter than a night-light.

Sal trilled excitedly as he looked up at it. "Any idea what this is?" I asked him, to which he responded with an excited twirl. I laid the feather back down in the open box as I took up the note. Sal leaned over the edge to sniff at it, and I wondered briefly if he was going to try and eat it. But he left it alone, so I turned my attention to the note.

 _Summerchild,_

 _Included with this note is a feather from a V_ _íðópnir. Use it to locate the bird, and protect it. You must find it quickly, as its fate will be decided by morning. If you do this, your debt to me will be considered satisfied._

 _Ms. Gard_

"Shit," I exclaimed with as much eloquence as I could muster. My hand trembled as I dropped the note and stared at the feather. Sal looked up at me and gave an inquisitive trill. "It's from the Chooser," I explained, and couldn't keep the tremble from my voice.

Over a year prior, I'd been involved in an arson case that introduced me to a woman named Gard. My roommate, a goblin named Qilluhrang, had put me in touch with her when I needed to borrow something she'd acquired. In return for that, as well as her aide in resolving the matter, I'd agreed to return the favor at a later time. Favors and debt are the currency of the supernatural world, and they took such things very seriously. I'd known that at the time, but was willing to bargain for what I needed.

Of course, what I _hadn_ _'t_ known at the time was exactly _who_ I was getting involved with. Q had said Gard was a Chooser, and I'd foolishly pretended that I knew what that meant. Only later did I learn that she was most likely a Chooser of the Slain - a Valkyrie of legend.

" _Sanya_ ," I whispered, and my glasses returned to their normal state as I looked upon the box, and the trouble it contained.

It didn't seem like I had much choice in the matter. Valkyrie or no, I was in debt to Ms. Gard. She'd said at the time that she'd ask something of me. Something that would be comparable to what she'd provided me. I'd readily agreed, even though I couldn't imagine what I could possibly do for her that she couldn't do for herself. My hope had been that she'd let the debt last for a while, until some simple task could be fulfilled. I wasn't powerful, so it's not like I'd help her on some grand quest. I wasn't like the Wizard, making a habit of running around town and starting fires and pissing off the supernatural community out of sheer boredom.

I was, in fact, a nobody.

"How the hell am I supposed to use this to find the bird?" I asked Sal, who was looking at the note as if he could read it. He couldn't talk, but for all I knew, he could read with the best of them. "Wait, is it a bird? What is a…" I trailed off as I looked at the note again. "A Viopner? Voipner?"

Sal trilled helpfully.

"Yeah, right," I said with a sigh. "Now if I could just get someone to translate _you_."

Normally that wouldn't be a problem. My roommate Q, a surly yet tolerable goblin with odd tastes for his species, seemed to understand Sal easily enough. He often relayed things that may or may not have been said by the salamander. Maybe he was just pulling my leg, but I doubted it.

Unfortunately, Q had been gone for the last two nights, and wasn't due back until the following evening. As a crafter of magical items, he typically worked on mundane paraphernalia in between commissioned jobs. He'd just finished a big job for someone out west, though, and was off delivering it before the solstice.

Which meant that I was without one of my most useful magical resources, not to mention a friend and ally.

But one benefit of being a nobody is that I don't have to worry about the same things as serious practitioners. Unlike the Wizard and others of his level, I didn't have control of magical forces, nor the ability to harness the raw power of life and nature.

What I did have was a cell phone.

"No, a _V_ _íðópnir_ ," Q said for the fourth time.

"That's what I said," I repeated for the fourth time. "Never-mind the pronunciation. What is it?"

I could hear the goblin sighing grumpily on the other end of the call. "It's a bird that dwells atop Mímameiðr."

"Look, could we pretend that I'm an ignorant mortal that isn't familiar with your Goblinese?"

"It's Old Norse, imbecile," Q growled. I could imagine his thin eyebrows pinching together in frustration.

"Norse," I repeated. "Like _'Valkyrie'_ Norse?"

"Yes," the goblin said tiredly. "It's a tree. The birds sit atop it, as birds tend to do."

"So do I need to find this tree?" I asked.

"The tree is most likely in the Chooser's domain," Q informed me. "I doubt she would be worried about the bird if it were there."

"Oh. Okay," I said, nodding. "Why is it glowing?" I asked as I twirled the feather in my fingers.

"They do that. They're beings of sun and fire," Q explained. "They're immortal, and watch over the realm, awaiting each new dawn."

"Sun and fire," I pondered. "Cool."

"Not cool," Q said with a groan in his voice. "They're a world of trouble. Almost every Slavic story of doom involves a hunt for a Жар-пти́ца."

"Whoa, you lost me again," I said, pinching my nose. "A what? Slavic? I thought you said this thing was Norse."

"Do you really think everything is just one thing?" Q grumbled. "Жар-пти́ца. Víðópnir. Phoenix. Same thing."

"Did you say _phoenix?!_ " I asked excitedly as I shifted the phone and stared at the feather with renewed interest.

"They all mean the same thing," the goblin said dismissively. "They mean trouble. Stay away from this, Woody."

"I can't," I explained. "I'm in Gard's debt. And I'd rather not get on a Valkyrie's bad side, if it's all the same to you."

"Mmgh," Q grumbled. I waited him out, and he finally sighed in defeat. "Fine. But you better be prepared. Take everything I've given you. And don't take any risks."

"Yeah, yeah," I said. I was going to chase after a _phoenix_. "How do I track it?"

"Find something you can put it in," he said. "Something clear, so that you can see it."

"Right," I confirmed, and headed down into my lab.

It took some scrounging, but I turned up a petri dish that the feather fit inside. I described it to Q, and he agreed it should work perfectly. Once it was placed in the dish, I put the lid over top, and sealed it closed with some glass glue.

"Now head down to my lab, and find the black hydra-hide book on the third shelf over the troll skull."

Because that's a normal sentence you hear everyday.

I headed over to the metal grate that led down into the subbasement, which was where Q lived. After flicking on the overhead lights I'd hung, I made my way to his lab. It was smaller than mine, but it was cluttered with magical tools and objects. It took me a minute to find the book, but once I had it, he directed me to a certain page.

"Hsh isk igli—" I began, but Q cut me off.

" _Don_ _'t read that one aloud!_ " he shouted, the phone crackling from the weak reception.

"Sorry," I said, grimacing. "But is that right?"

"No, th— —eath that," he said, the call breaking up.

"The one with the arrow?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"I just carve this into the edge of the petri dish?" I confirmed.

"Yes, but be ex— —fford to mess u— —rong spell."

"Right right," I said, hefting the book up to take it back up to my lab. "I'll get started and call you back once I'm done."

"No!" Q said, his voice warbling. "Use my la— -ching the glass. The scriving bon—"

"Okay," I said, putting the book down. I'd seen him use the scriving bone before, but I'd never actually used it myself. I also didn't know the origin of the bone, and frankly didn't care to. It looked like a finger bone, but it was too long and tapered to be human. There were sigils carved into it, and the business end was filed down to a sharp point.

"Be su— use gl—" he said, before the call dropped entirely.

"I already used the glue," I said to the dead phone. I tried calling him back, but the reception was gone. Tossing the smart-phone aside, I looked at the spell book. "Well, this shouldn't be too hard."

I put the book on the work bench he used, and placed the petri dish beside it. The scriving bone was kept in a drawer, and my fingers tingled as I picked it up. I studied it, and felt a shiver run through me. Sal gave off a pensive growl.

Pushing the feel of thing aside, I got to work. It took me a while, as I was careful to match the spell exactly as it appeared in the book. I was tempted to practice on another dish, but as this was goblin magic, I wasn't sure what would happened if I left the spell unfinished.

As I worked, I found myself growing more confident with each stroke. The spell was long, and it took the entire circumference of the dish to get all of it on there. By the end, my hand was moving quickly and surely, as if I'd done it countless times.

I belatedly realized that my hand had also grown numb.

"Shit," I muttered as I pulled at the bone. My hand was clenched around it, and wouldn't let go. I tugged at it with my free hand, and finally pried it loose. The tingling spread to those fingers, and I quickly tossed the thing back in the drawer where I'd found it.

The feeling hadn't quite returned to my right hand yet, so I balanced the book on it and picked the dish up with the other. I made my way back up to my lab, where I had better reception, and called Q back.

"Did you use gloves?" were the first words out of his mouth.

"Psssh, of course," I said dismissively. The fingers of my right hand were wiggling, as if writing something. I tried shaking it, but they kept going.

"Okay," he said. "You'll set the command word yourself after completing the spell. I recommend practicing the pronunciation a few times before you do it."

"Right. Let me go get my book." I left the equipment in the lab while I ran upstairs to fetch my Tolkien dictionary. As I descended, I looked for an appropriate word. Once I had one, I practiced reading the individual words of the spell aloud to Q, with him correcting my pronunciation.

"Alright," he muttered somewhat hesitantly. "You're ready."

"Right," I said. "If the call drops, you might want to call the fire department."

Q just grunted, and Sal took refuge across the lab. I placed the dish on the desk and put a portable copper ring around it. After repeating the spell several times in my head, I spoke it aloud as I touched the circle, and added the command word at the end. " _Menti_ _ë_."

The engraved spellwork on the side of the dish started glowing an emerald tone, the words flickering in an echo of my cadence. The feather in the glass spun in place, growing brighter, before settling. The lights faded from the sigils, although the feather retained its normal glow.

"Well?" Q asked.

"Let me see," I told him, and picked up the dish with my left hand; my right had finally stopped trying to write things out, and was only just coming around.

I turned about the room, facing each of the walls. As I did, the dish remained still in my hand, but the feather inside rotated, leaving the quill end pointing to the southwest.

"I think it worked," I told him, unable to keep the excitement from my voice.

"It'll only last until morning," he warned me. "It's not designed to last like your other tools, so dawn will break it down."

"That's fine," I told him. "The note said I had to find the bird by dawn anyway."

"The conclave isn't done until tomorrow afternoon," Q advised me. "But I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Take your time," I said as I shook out the numbness in my hand. "This is going to be a piece of cake."

Q grunted again, and I hung up, confident that with my phoenix compass in hand, I'd be done in no time, and free of my debt to the Valkyrie.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Taking Q's advice, I made sure to prepare myself before setting out to find the phoenix.

When I finally rolled my '42 Harley-Davidson WLA out of the garage, I was armed to the teeth with the magical devices Q had provided me over the years. The defensive measures mostly consisted of my motorcycle jacket, canvas pants, and half helmet, all of which had seen extensive spell-work by the resident goblin. After a previous encounter had left my last helmet and jacket in ruins, he'd upped the ante on the spells. They weren't bullet-proof, but they were darn close.

I didn't bother with goggles, as my spell crafted glasses were more than enough to protect my eyes. The dark wood frames and prescription lenses had all been worked over by Q, and were the most diverse of my tools.

An assortment of weapons, some apparent and some not, were placed in my pockets and around my person. I was hoping that I wouldn't need them, but it never hurt to be prepared.

When I kicked the engine to life, Sal gave an excited trill, and we were off.

I placed the phoenix compass in a pocket, and pulled it out frequently to check my direction. It led me true for about ten minutes before it changed. At first I thought that it might be broken, but then realized that the bird had simply moved. I redirected the bike, heading back southeast, only to end up heading north again.

After thirty minutes of directional changes and about faces, I realized that Gard had probably just sent me after the damn bird so that she wouldn't have to spend the entire night riding around town.

Eventually, the bird settled down, and I found myself heading southwest again. I kept checking the compass, and found that it remained fixed on the one direction. As I went, I also noticed that the feather started glowing brighter. I wondered if that meant I was getting closer.

I spent another thirty minutes heading southwest before I happened to spot something overhead.

The summer night was somewhat overcast, but there wasn't a threat of rain. Still, the clouds overhead seemed to glow for a second, and I wondered if there was lightning. But the glow was an orangish color, and after a moment I caught my first glimpse of the phoenix.

It floated through the air a good two hundred feet overhead. Much too far to see any details, but it glowed in the night, leaving a fiery trail in its wake.

I quickly reached for my glasses and touched the temple frame on the right side, back toward my ear. As I idled at a red light, I muttered, " _Agor,_ " as I slowly slid my finger forward toward the hinge.

The spell in my glasses kicked in, and my vision zoomed forward, as if I were looking through a pair of binoculars. It took me a moment to adjust, sliding my finger back and forth, until I focused on the bird.

At that distance, it was impossible to know how big it was. It looked to be about the size of an eagle, but it was hard to tell with its longer feathers trailing behind both its wings and tail, along with smoke and cinder.

Just as I got a good look, the bird swooped back up into the low hanging clouds. I released the spell on my glasses and refocused my vision before taking off in the direction I'd seen it heading. It was just a couple minutes later when I saw a mote of fire and light re-appear from the clouds overhead, circling down toward the ground. I revved my engine as it disappeared along the horizon, behind the squat buildings and trees of the Orland Park area.

"Did you see it?" I asked Sal, who was sticking his head out from his snakewood box tucked into the front breast pocket of my jacket. He trilled an affirmative response. "Let's see if we can find it."

It hadn't escaped my notice that I had no idea what to do if I did find it. As I was fresh out of magical boxes to keep it in, I was hoping that if I simply identified myself as working for the Valkyrie, that the bird would come with me.

I had to find a way into the Orland Grove Forest Preserve, which is easier said than done. Sneaking into the preserve after dark was going to get me into all sorts of trouble, but the bird seemed to have landed amongst the trees surrounding the lake. After a few minutes, I found a game trail that was wide enough to accommodate the WLA, and I waited until there was no-one in sight before cutting across the grass and into the woods.

The engine of the bike was impossibly loud as we slowly crept through the trees. Part of me worried that the engine might scare the bird off, but I didn't want to go traipsing around in the woods after dark on foot. Not when I knew for a fact that many things other than the bird might be living in the forest, all of which were faster than me.

The compass led me forward, and I had to force the bike through several less traveled paths before I finally reached a clearing.

Sitting smack in the middle, atop a pile of sticks, was the phoenix.

I used the telescoping spell again, to get a good look at the creature from a safe distance. I wasn't about to just walk up to the thing and hope it didn't take offense.

Having seen several magical creatures in my day, I can say that the phoenix was one of the most beautiful, even in its disheveled state. It was certainly more pleasant to look at than the likes of Qilluhrang, who's asymmetrical features left a lot to be desired. I'd seen other bestial animals as well, but short of Sal, none of them had been as incredible as the phoenix.

The thing was a little larger than an eagle, which meant it was on the larger side of any bird I'd ever seen. It's form was similar as well, although its neck was slightly longer, and the feather pattern was alien. While they were primarily golden hued, like the feather I had, there were also varying shades of red, orange, and yellow. A crest of curling feathers atop its head bobbed up and down as it pecked at the wood beneath it, and its tail feathers trailed out like a peacock.

But despite its beauty, I could tell even at a distance that something was wrong. There were gaps in its golden down, and the remaining feathers were ruffled and unruly. The thing looked old; the visible patches of skin looked wrinkled and strained, and it held itself somewhat stiffly.

"Wow," I whispered, still in awe of the majestic creature. Sal trilled, the sound an appreciative whistle to my ears. And as he did, the bird looked up toward us.

My breath caught as the thing spread its wings, and flames flickered among the feathers. It cried out, its angry voice a warning, as it looked to prepare for flight.

Before it could take off, the branches beneath it shifted. It gave a startled cry, and tried to take flight as the pieces of wood snapped up around it. Some of the twigs fell away, but the rest all locked into place. A grid of wooden bars met at a junction above it, and within moments, the bird was enclosed in a pyramid-like cage.

Fire erupted from the bird as it threw itself at the restraining bars. The strewn pieces of wood around it all burst into flames and crumbled into ash under the intense heat of the fires. Its angry cry pierced the night as thrashed back and forth against the bars of its prison.

But to my surprise, the wood enclosing it did not catch fire. The grasses around the cage did, and I saw the area blacken and smoke as the heat expanded further. But the cage itself remained intact. It shifted as the wood in the pile beneath it turned to dust, and settled onto the ground.

Movement out of the corner of my eye drew my gaze, and I released the telescoping spell to spot a hunched figure darting from the tree line to my left. I couldn't make out the person in the dark, but saw they were wearing an ungainly coat, and were carrying a long staff of some sort.

Realizing that they were going to reach the bird before I would, I revved the engine on the bike. It shot out, tearing across the small open field. I aimed for a space between the figure and the raging bird, who had managed to topple the cage in its struggles.

As I grew closer, the figure saw me, and threw their right hand out toward me. Sparkling crystals landed in front of my bike. When they hit the ground, the surface became covered in a quickly expanding layer of ice.

My bike wobbled, losing its grip on the smooth and slick surface. I turned it, allowing myself to go into a controlled slide with the bike. As it kicked out beneath me, I put a hand out to slow myself. The bike skidded away, past the line the figure had taken, but I managed to slide to a halt and turn back as they ran forward.

My boots slipped beneath me as I charged back at them, but I managed to stay upright, and tackled the squat form just before it reached the area the bird had set ablaze.

The two of us tumbled across the ice, but before I could manage to get a grip on him, he slithered free, and was back on his feet. I just managed to grab him by his long thin tail before he darted away.

"Ow!" the figure cried, their tone belligerent. They spun back toward me, and I got my first look at the creature.

He stood about four and a half feet, although if his slightly hunched form stood upright, he might have been slightly taller. The thing was covered in mangy black fur that hung loosely around him, and I realized after a second that he was in fact just wearing the ugliest fur coat I'd ever seen. When he turned fully toward me, the fire around the phoenix illuminated the red bowler cap and vest he wore, along with an off gray shirt and pants.

His feet were large and hairy, and I couldn't help but note that his toenails were long and jagged, as if he'd never met a toenail clipper. His fingernails were matching set, which I noted as the thing pointed a mangled finger in my direction.

"Sod off, ye shitehawk! This is me prize," he squealed at me in a somewhat Irish accent. He hissed at me through his large front teeth, which emerged from a snout longer than you traditionally see on a human. Truth be told, he looked more like a rat than a man, but his long pointed ears were more like an Orc for _Lord of the Rings_. They bent out sideways under his bowler hat. Beady eyes stared out in frustration as he whipped his leathery tail from my grasp.

"Wait, stop!" I shouted as the thing darted toward the cage. The phoenix saw him coming, and another burst of flames shout out as it rocked in its cage.

The fire belched at the creature, and I saw him hunch down in a ball as the flames washed over him. I flinched, knowing for sure that he'd be fried to a crisp. But when the fire dissipated, I saw him rise up and continue his advance, his ugly robe smoking.

I fumbled for a pocket, where I withdrew two lead balls. They were about half the size of pool balls, but were heavier than they looked. From where I lay on the ground, I whipped my arm forward and threw them at the ugly beast, muttering the command word as I did. " _Gwedh!_ "

Despite my poor throw, at the sound of the word, the balls shot forward as if from a cannon. As they closed on the creature, a glowing green line of magical energy appeared between them. The glow faded after a second, leaving a thin green wire connecting the two as they spun about. Their magically enhanced aim was true, and the line expanded so that it could wrap around the ankles of the creature.

When they coiled around his legs, the spell snapped the line taut, and the creature fell on his face as the bola tripped him up.

"Ye feckin' barse!" the creature shouted as he clawed at the line holding him. "Let me go!"

"Calm down!" I shouted as I rose and approached, wary of getting too close to the enraged phoenix. It was still trapped in the wooden cage, but had started pulling at the bars with its impressive beak. The wood was splintering, and it wouldn't be long before it was free.

"Ye gouger!" the little guy shouted, even as he sawed at the green line with a blade he'd pulled from somewhere. "That's me bird! Get yer own!"

He began muttering something about 'fekkin' goblin magic, and pulled another knife from the folds of his robe. The weapon glinted in the fires, and I saw the iron blade cut through the magic line as if it were paper.

"Let's talk this over," I said to him, holding my hands up in a calming fashion.

"Feck off, ye ape!" he screamed as he climbed to his feet. "Stay way from me bird!"

"Hey now, who are you calling an ape?" I asked, frowning. "You don't see me calling you a rat, do you?"

"Did ye just feckin' call me a feckin' _rat?!_ " the thing screamed, his ashen face flushing in rage as he waved the iron blade in my direction. "I'll show ye a feckin' rat, ye ganky muppet!" The thing charged me, his quarry momentarily forgotten in his rage.

"Wocka wocka wocka," I replied as I snapped a beaded bracelet from my wrist and threw it at him. " _Gwedh!_ " I shouted again.

Just like the bola balls I'd thrown earlier, the smaller lead beads shot forth under their own power. Q knew better than to count on my innate skill, and the magic of the beads took over as they swirled into a circular pattern.

The creature was wise to the trick, and started slashing through the air as the magical green lines appeared.

But the beads weren't designed to wrap around a quarry's legs. Instead, they all interlinked together in a mesh as they spun around him. In moments, a fine wire net of magical green line had tangled up the thing, and he stumbled to the ground. Even before he hit, he was slashing at the lines, the iron in the blade cutting through the goblin magic.

I ran forward as I drew a pair of cuffs from another pocket. By the time I reached him, the creature was half out of the netting. I managed to grab for him, and snapped a cuff around one wrist. He squeaked in surprise, but I tugged at him, keeping him off balance. Before he could recover, I had his other arm twisted around behind him, and the second cuff went over his other wrist.

"Let me go, ye neddy!" the little guy shouted, even as he sawed at the cuffs with his blade. But unlike the lines, they weren't magical. The bronze cuffs had magic worked into them, making them stronger than steel. The iron blade did nothing to the links, other than score some slight marks onto the surface.

"Would you just calm down?" I said, frowning down at the thing. From up close, I saw that he was mostly humanoid, save for his rodent-like mouth, ears, and tail. His light gray skin had a thin layer of fuzz, and I wondered if he was in fact some sort of rat-like creature. Although he certainly hadn't liked that comparison.

His nose was more bulbous than a rodent, but his teeth were short and sharp. He gnashed them in frustration as he rolled around, trying to free himself from both the cuffs and what remained of the net. Every other word out of his mouth seemed to be some colorful insult I wasn't familiar with.

I noted that the bird had settled somewhat. It was still in the cage, and was snapping at another piece of wood. It had already broken through two, and the third would most likely leave it room to get free.

"Here, let me help," I said, and started toward the bird. But when it saw me coming, it unleashed a sudden burst of flames that had me howling as I retreated.

"Heh heh heh," the rat-like creature wheezed as he watched me slap at the flames on my jacket. I ended up dropping and rolling on the melting ice, which hadn't held up to the summer evening's warmth.

"Laugh it up, fuzz-ball," I muttered as I finished flopping in the mud.

"Alright, ye got me," the creature said as he ceased his struggles. "How 'bout we be makin' a deal, and splittin' de profits two ways?"

"Profits?" I asked, looking at him in confusion. "What profits?"

"From de prize," he said, inclining his head toward the bird. The motion tugged at the lines still wrapping around him, and he grunted in frustration as he renewed his battle with them.

"I'm not looking to capture the bird," I explained. "I was asked to protect it."

"What?" the creature said, aghast. His beady eyes went wide in disbelief. "Are ye feckin' kiddin' me?"

"No," I said as I stood up and started brushing myself off. I saw that my spell-worked jacket was badly singed, and I wondered how much more it would take.

"Do ye not realize what it is?" the rat thing said, as if explaining things to a child. "It's a féinics."

"Yes, I'm aware," I assured him as I took a moment to said creature. It had ceased its struggles to free itself from its cage, and instead was staring in our direction. Looking at it, I tried to follow its gaze, but saw that it wasn't looking at either of us.

"Do ye know what it's worth?" he continued. "Between it an' the apple, we could be makin' a fortune!"

"Apple?" I asked absently, my eyes slowly swiveling to where the phoenix was looking.

"Aw, shite," the little guy muttered. "Ye didn' even know 'bout the apple? What the feck are ye lookin' at anyway?" he added, as he turned to look toward the tree line.

Three figures stepped from beneath the shadows of the forest. The two on either end were hunched low, their lupine bodies tensed. Wavering trails of emerald light trickled from their fierce eyes, and their lips were curled back into menacing snarls. There was something wrong with the wolves' bodies, as if pieces were missing, leaving flesh and muscle exposed here and there. It looked like they'd been savaged, either by each other or something else. Blood dripped from their teeth, so it could have been either.

But as terrifying as they were, creeping out of the woods at night, they were nothing compared to the creature between them. It stood as tall as a woman, or perhaps a short man. Her hair was long and lank, a deathly white color tangled about as it hung from her scalp. Her skin had a sickly greenish-blue tint, the color of death and rot. Her nose and jaw jutted out awkwardly from an ugly face, pock marked with age spots and warts. When her lips slipped into a slithery smile, I saw that her teeth were long and sharp like needles. So too were her fingernails, which were easily three to four inches long and as black as the night.

Her red eyes glowed in the dark, and her smile widened as she pointed toward us.

"Kill them," she croaked. And before her words trailed off into a piercing cackle, the undead wolves bolted toward us, our deaths glinting in their jade eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The rat creature squealed as our death came for us.

Before the wolves were halfway to us, Sal had leapt from the box in my jacket pocket. As he fell toward the ground, the air swirled around him as he drew in magical power to increase his size. By the time he hit the turf, he was easily the size of small dog.

But no small dog had flames licking the length of their body like he did.

He charged at the wolf closest to me, leaving me with one to worry about. I fumbled for a weapon, cursing my luck for having already spent the netting bracelet.

"Let me loose! Let me loose!" the rat-like creature squealed as I bolted past it. My fingers fumbled in the grass, searching as the wolf grew closer. My hand closed on one of the bola balls, and I flicked it toward the wolf and shouted the command word.

Even with only one ball moving, the second responded, and the two shot toward the wolf. I was glad the thing was good for more than one use, unlike the netting bracelet. I'd have to regather the beads and restring them to put them to use again.

The bola balls whipped through the air, the magical line between them snapping out and around the front legs of the wolf. Its momentum carried the beast forward, and the line wrapped around all four limbs as it hit the ground.

The beast started savagely ripping at the magical line, but the wire held. I glanced toward Sal, and saw that he was holding his own against the other wolf. Although the thing was more than triple his size, it couldn't touch Sal without being exposed to the salamander's intense flames. Sal snapped his jaw at the beast, and the wolf leapt back, before trying to find another angle of attack.

I ran back to the creature, who had continued sawing at the net spell around him. " _Leithian_ ," I whispered urgently as I grabbed at the magical wire. At the command, the beads dropped to the ground, harmless once more.

Once he was free, I reached for my keys to remove the cuffs, only to realize that they were still with the bike.

"Crap," I said, and darted toward the fallen bike.

"Wait, don' ye be leavin' me!" the creature shouted in panic. He stared off at the second wolf, which had managed to pull two legs free of the bola. As I slid to a halt next to the bike, a third came free, and it stagged to its feet. It began loping toward us as I retrieved my keys and ran back for the creature, who was running toward me.

"Middle pocket right vest!" he shouted as we came together. I hesitated for just a second, but he hopped up and down, thrusting his chest out at me as he watched the wolf come. " _Middle pocket right vest!_ "

I shot my free hand into the middle pocket on the right side of his vest, and withdrew several glittering blue crystals. They looked familiar. "Throw! _Throw!_ " he screamed as the wolf kicked off the bola and came at us full tilt.

I threw the crystals at the wolf as it leapt, its snarling mouth wide. The crystals hit all across its face, chest, and forelimbs. The two of us spun apart as it tumbled past, its entire front half encased in ice.

It would have been nice if that had ended things. But the undead wolf apparently had no need to breath, and started thrashing on the ground to break the ice that imprisoned it.

"Hands! Hands!" the creature shouted as he spun around and jumped up and down.

"Stop! You're not helping!" I shouted back as I tried to get a grip on his wrist. I managed to undo one of the cuffs, and he pulled away from me. "Hey!"

With his hands free, the little guy started scrounging in his pockets. I saw him pull a stone from one and drew an arm back. I flinched, but he threw it at the ground where the wolf was just about free of the ice.

As soon as the stone landed, the turf seemed to shutter. A ripple went out, and suddenly the thrashing wolf was sinking into the ground. Dirt and soil rolled beneath his body as if it were liquid, and he disappeared beneath the earth. I saw it finally crack the ice around its jaws, and then it was gone.

An angry hiss drew my attention the other way, and I turned to see the ugly woman glowering at us, an arm extended forward. I shoved the little guy away as a bolt of blue-green light shot between us. There was a stench of ozone and corruption in the air. I wasn't sure exactly what corruption smelled like, but it was there all the same. I rolled to the ground as another bolt shot past me. I looked up to see the witch training on me, her hand before her glowing with a deathly light.

"You dare…" she rasped out, and the glow grew brighter. I tensed, knowing I wouldn't be able to dodge again.

Just before she unleashed the bolt of energy, an angry growl sounded from behind her. I saw a flash of coral and citrine as Sal leapt upon her back. The woman's clothing, nothing more than rags, went up in flames as she screamed. She whipped to the side, flinging Sal away as if he were nothing more than a stuffed animal. Her clawed fingers gripped at the rags around her and tore them free, leaving her exposed as she rasped out ragged breaths. Her form was hunched over, but she howled in fury as she turned toward where the salamander had fallen.

Which meant she wasn't facing me when I got serious.

"Right," I said, unzipping my jacket. "That's enough of that." Reaching in, I pulled out my Beretta Px4 Storm. I popped the safety as I lifted it and took aim.

The witch twisted back toward me, somehow sensing the threat. I saw her red eyes widen right before I sent half a dozen 9mm rounds into her chest.

She hunched over as the bullets hit home, and she fell to her knees before flopping over. I slowly approached, keeping my gun trained on her. In my peripheral, I saw Sal circling around her body.

"You alright?" I called out to the little fire elemental, who didn't seem worse for wear. He replied in what sounded like an affirmative growl. He kept his narrowed eyes on the witch as he approached.

"Feck," the rat-like creature said, and I spared a glance his way. He was looking toward the remnants of the trap.

In all the excitement, the phoenix had escaped.

The little guy made his way over to the pieces that remained. There wasn't a sign of the cage itself; only the broken bars it'd chewed off to escape.

"Did someone get it?" I asked as I returned my focus to the witch. Tendrils of green smoke slowly started drifting from the bullet holes in her chest. It was certainly odd, but she wasn't moving.

"Nah," the creature said, his voice filled with frustrated disappointment. "It took the damn cage with it."

"Why would it do that?" I asked, forcing myself to relax. As I did, I remembered that I was trespassing on private land holding a recently fired gun over a dead body. "Never-mind. I gotta go."

I whistled to Sal, who trotted toward me, but kept his eyes on the witch's body. I saw the other wolf lying still in the distance, its body a charred ruin.

As I righted the bike, I flipped the safety back on my gun and stowed it away. A quick inspection of the bike confirmed it to be in good shape after its fall, and I stuck the key back in and kicked it to life.

At the same moment, a groan pierced the clearing. I quickly looked around, but didn't see anything. There was only Sal scurrying up my jacket after he'd returned to his normal size, the creature picking up the long staff he'd dropped when I first tackled him, and the rising form of the witch.

"Fuck," I breathed out as the woman's body shook. Her eyes shined in the dark night, filled with hate and loathing as she turned to me. She was clasping at her chest, and I saw more smoky tendrils of green fog wisping about her form.

I spun the bike in place and revved the engine. An inhuman growl seemed to echo off the trees as the witch rose, her jaw trembling as she snarled.

"Eh!" the rat-like creature shouted as he bolted for the tree line. I released the break and shot across the field, past the rising witch, who seemed to be recovering from six rounds to the chest all too well.

The little guy was running in the same direction, and I slowed enough to let him hop on the back of the bike as I rolled past. The shift in weight cause the bike to weave to the side, which was fortunate for us. A bolt of energy shot through the space we'd been, and cracked a tree trunk at the edge of the clearing.

I gunned the engined and took off, just barely making it into the trees before the tree crashed down behind us. A piercing shriek filled the night as I tore through the forest, going entirely too fast, but too scared to slow down. I kept us at speed until we were through the preserve, and my tires squealed onto the pavement.

Then we were gone, as another howl trailed after us.

* * *

"Feckin' feck," the creature muttered twenty minutes later.

We were around the corner from a twenty-four hour coffee shop. My bike was parked in the shadows of the alley, where I was working on my third cigarette in five minutes. The little guy was taking inventory of his things.

"What a waste," he grumbled as he shrugged off the disgusting coat. He started to drape it over my bike, but I mouthed a disapproving tone. Instead, he hung it from the corner of a dumpster. I figured it'd be better off _in_ the dumpster, but who am I to judge? High fashion.

"What the fuck was that?" I finally asked, my voice rough from the rapid smokes and nerves.

"Eh?" the creature said, turning back. "Oh, the hag?"

"Yeah," I confirmed. "What was she?"

"A Hag," the rat-faced man said, squishing his nose up. "She's a Hag."

"Is that a thing?" I asked, not familiar with the term.

"Don't know much, do ye?" he chittered with a dark smile.

"No, I don't," I admitted. "Why don't you tell me."

"'Bout the hag?" he asked as he checked his pockets.

"About all of it," I clarified.

"Well, ye know 'bout the phoenix," he said dismissively. "She's probably after it too."

"No," I said, shaking my head tiredly. "Pretend I don't know about the phoenix. Pretend I know nothing."

"What do ye mean?" he asked, his tone squirrelly. "You said you were trying ta protect it."

"That's all I know," I told him. "Got a feather with a note. Find the bird. Protect it."

"Oh," the thing said, his expression growing thoughtful. "Eh. Well, ye did yer job. Guess ye should be headin' on home."

"No. Tell me what's going on," I pressed, even as I lit a fourth cigarette. I wouldn't have many left if I kept that pace up, but my nerves were shot. He hesitated, so I shook my head. "I saved your life back there."

The creature sighed and gave up on its pockets. "Aight. It's like this," he said, and made his way over to an empty plastic crate next to the dumpster. Once he got himself comfortable, he pulled a pipe from somewhere in his vest, and worked at getting it lit.

"Word be that de bird stole isself a golden apple," he explained as he puffed on the pipe. "It's on its last legs. Probably dyin' as we speak."

"Why did it steal an apple?" I asked, confused.

"A golden apple?" the creature said slowly. "Ye really don' know?"

"I know I've got three rounds left in my gun, and nine more in my backup magazine," I said darkly. Sal turned toward me where he sat on the bike's seat, chomping on his cinnamon stick.

"Aight, calm down ye muppet," the creature said. "It's a golden apple from Iðunn's tree." At my look, he rolled his beady eyes and explained. "Iðunn be a Norse goddess. She's in charge o' a tree that grows golden apples that be grantin' immortality."

I'd heard something similar ages ago somewhere, but wouldn't have been able to give specifics. "And this dying phoenix stole one? Why? For that mater, I thought phoenixes were immortal?"

"Nothin's immortal," the creature said. "Long lived, yes. Eternally youthful, sure. But nothing lasts forever."

"So this phoenix is trying to heal itself with the apple or something?"

"Maybe," the creature said with a shrug. "There be all sorts of legends 'bout this stuff, but not many know for sure. Lots o' folklore in Russia 'bout golden birds stealing golden apples. And Norse tales o' golden apples, and fire roosters sittin' atop their world tree. Half a dozen cultures at least, all telling stories o' an immortal fire-bird an' golden apples granting immortality, an' de heroes that go chasing after both for one reason or another."

"Okay," I said, nodding. "So the phoenix is dying, and steals an apple that might save it. What's it doing flying around Chicago?"

"Hell if I know," the creature said. "I bought de feather off a merchant in Undertown. Said de bird arrived this mornin', and's been droppin' feathers 'round town."

"So you want to what? Kill it?" I asked, disgust creeping into my tone.

"Hey, don' get all judgey on me, lad," the creature responded, his tone growing short. "If it's dyin', ain't no point in lettin' it go ta waste. An' that apple will fetch a pretty penny. Might even be good for some magics."

"Well, I'm supposed to protect it until dawn," I informed him. "After that, I don't know what to do."

The creature gave me a calculating look. "What's say ye and me be workin' together?"

"What? Why?" I asked, casting him a dubious look. "You're trying to kill it."

"Nah, I'll be puttin' that behind me," he said reassuringly. "I won't try ta kill it until after dawn. In fact, I'll even help ye keep it alive."

"What's in it for you?"

He shrugged. "If you're done guardin' it at dawn, then we'll see where we're at. Might be dead. Might be weak. Either way, I might be able to get somethin' out of it. I've already lost a lot on this venture, but I'd hate to come away empty handed."

I considered his words. "So you'll help me track it down and keep it safe? No more capture attempts?"

"On me honor," the creature said, removing his red bowler hat in a flourish. "Or me name isn't Bailitheoir de Gach."

His declaration surprised me, causing my eyes to go wide. Not many creatures would freely give their name. There were too many things in the world that could use your own name against you if they heard it from your lips. As I realized that, my eyes narrowed. "That's not your name, is it?"

"Eh. Heh," the creature said, a slight smile playing across his rodent lips. "Well, it's not, but it be true all the same. No harm to the bird until after dawn, on me honor."

"Alright Bailey," I said with a nod. "You help me protect it from that Hag, and we'll see where we're at come dawn."

At my words, the little guy hesitated. "Well, now, 'bout that Hag…"

"What about her?" I asked, frowning at his hesitant tone.

"Well… I've already spent a fortune on this," he said, shrugging. "I bought all that Mímameiðr wood, and used most of me ice crystals from Arctis Tor, and that Sandearth stone..."

"So?"

"So," he said, somewhat embarrassed. "I'll be willin' ta help ye, but if that Hag be showin' up again… well, tis not worth me life."

"I don't think I can stop her on my own," I admitted. "I've already used up a number of my tools."

"And how is it ye be using goblin magic?" Bailey asked, his eyebrow twitching curiously. "Ye smell human enough, but I seen those enchantments. And I seen the spell on ye compass," he added, nodding toward the petri dish still sitting on the front of my bike.

"Trade secret," I said. But as I did, the creature jumped up and extended a clawed hand.

"Deal," he replied.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Yer offer," he said, sounding confused himself. "Ye offered ta trade secrets."

"Um, no," I said, shaking my head. "Not what I meant."

"Oh," he said disappointedly as he lowered his hand.

"Tell you what," I said as I stubbed out the cigarette butt on the wall. "You help me against the hag, tell me what I need to know about the phoenix, and I'll tell you what I can. And we'll see where we're at in the morning."

"Deal," the creature said, nodding slowly. "But don't expect me to be dyin' or nothin'. Not for no stinkin' bird."

"Fair enough," I agreed. "How about I go get us some drinks, and you can tell me what Mime-a-deer wood is."

At my comment, the creature just shook its head in a fashion I was all too familiar with.

"Humans."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After I got myself a soda and Bailey a coffee, we set out for the phoenix.

The little Fear Dearg, which is what he apparently was, spent the entire ride complaining about not having any cream liqueur to go with his drink. I tried keeping him on track, while we followed the rotating feather around town.

He eventually explained that the Mímameiðr wood he'd had earlier were pieces of the tree which Víðópnir nest on in their realm. It was fire resistant, as wood rarely is, and was perfect for creating a cage to contain the bird. Apparently it also made a perfect lure, as the bird would be attracted to it. It was rare in the real world, and Bailey figured it would be too tempting to pass up.

He'd been right, in that the bird had made a Bee-line for it as soon as he'd laid his trap. When it landed and started picking at the wood, Bailey had triggered the spell, and the wood formed into the cage. Unfortunately for him, the Hag and I had given the bird long enough to break free. Only, rather than fleeing its cage, the bird had taken it with him.

Meaning that the only Mímameiðr wood we had left were his staff and the scraps he'd found. Not nearly enough to try and lure the bird out again.

"After I learned 'bout it this mornin', I spent the afternoon tryin' ta follow it. But it just keeps circlin' Chicago," he explained as we idled at a red light.

We'd been circling the city for an hour. It was now after midnight on one of the shortest nights of the year, and the bird had shown no signs of settling down to rest. There'd been a brief period where it'd remained stationary, but then it was off again, long before we could grow close enough to locate it.

"Your robe stinks," I told him, as the stench of it wafted forward again.

"It's fire-rat. What do ye _think_ it should smell like?" he replied.

"Fire-rat?" I asked, recalling when the fire had washed over him. "Is that what protected you from the flames?"

"Yeh," he confirmed. "Best thing short o' salamander skin at keepin' ye safe from fire."

Sal growled at that from his perch in his snakewood box.

"I wish I knew what it was doing," I said to change the subject. "This traveling around the city doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know. I'm no phoenix expert," Bailey replied. "Could it be lookin' for somethin'?"

"Like what?" I asked.

"A place to build a nest?" Bailey replied, his tone that of a guess.

The light turned green, so I continued on, heading north of the city. We were somewhere between Skokie and Northbrook. I'd spotted the phoenix once or twice as it flew amongst the clouds. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to its travels. I was beginning to think it was simply staying on the move to make sure we couldn't corner it.

As we drove north on Lehigh Avenue, a red bolt shot into the sky. It was fast, like a shooting star, only heading in the wrong direction. Bailey and I both tensed when we saw it disappear into the clouds.

"What was—" I began, but then a golden comet tumbled out of the sky. It wavered several times, as if trying to stay aloft, but then dropped like a stone. "Oh no."

I gunned the motorcycle, abandoning all traffic laws as I tried to catch up with the bird. There was hardly anyone out, and luck was with us, as there weren't any cops lying in wait. There was a bend in the road, and Bailey squeezed my shoulder and indicated a side road that headed off in the direction of the bird.

"No, we have to go around to get over the railroad tracks," I shouted, and continued on toward Patriot Boulevard. Precious seconds ticked by as I made a couple right hand turns, cutting through traffic at the intersection of Willow Road. The compass was leading me back east, and was almost as bright as it had been outside the preserve.

We passed a golf course, and I turned into a shopping center just beyond it. The feather was glowing like my headlight, and I had to cover it again as I pulled into the parking lot.

There, in the middle of the nearly vacant lot, was a smoldering crater.

I got as close as I dared, unsure if the bird was still alive. If so, I didn't want to be incinerated in another defensive blast. By the time I had the bike on its stand, Bailey was already off and creeping toward the crater. He had his staff with him, and I worried momentarily that he might go back on his word.

But when he looked over the side, he turned back and gave me a thumbs up. "Still alive!"

Which is when the massive, military grade SUV came squealing around the corner.

The beast of a vehicle, painted as black as the night, skidded to a halt a dozen yards away from the crater. I saw that the driver's window was down, and had time to recognize the automatic rifle for what it was before rounds started flying toward Bailey.

"Ack!" the Fear Dearg shouted as he dove into the crater. Bullets whipped past where he'd been, and I wasn't sure if one of them had caught him or not. The gunman's aim shifted toward the edge of the crater, and I saw rounds ricocheting off the pavement.

The fire cut off as the gunman disembarked, and I saw the spent magazine drop to the ground as a massive man climbed out. Standing well over six foot, he was hulking beast of a man with a thick torso and arms of muscle.

His reload was smooth, and only two seconds after he'd stopped firing, he was popping additional bursts at the crater's edge, discouraging anyone from coming up. Military boots crunched on the pavement as he methodically kept his target pinned down.

I spent those precious seconds heading for one of the few cars in the lot. My motorcycle didn't offer much in the way of coverage, and besides, who would hide from a gunman behind their own vehicle?

I slipped my Beretta out and re-zipped my jacket as I crouched behind an old Plymouth workhorse. I'd swapped the mostly spent magazine for the fresh one while we'd rested, so I had nine rounds to spend on the fucker shooting up the civilian parking lot as if it were a war zone.

As the man approached the crater, I took aim, and fired off two rounds. I'm no marksman, but from only a row away, I didn't miss.

It didn't seem to matter to the man, though, because the two rounds didn't phase him in the slightest. All it did was draw his attention, and I ducked for cover behind the car as rounds plunked into the far side. A few skittered across the pavement from beneath the vehicle, the gunman looking to hit me with a ricochet if I wasn't willing to just stand out there in the open.

Just as I was beginning to think I'd gotten in over my head, a tornado appeared in the parking lot.

I heard it, and dared to look over the edge of the car. A small funnel of air was spinning where the gunman had been, and I saw the man picking himself up from the pavement a few yards away. As he rose, I saw Bailey's head appear at the crater. His arm whipped overhead, and I saw a flash of something arcing through the air just before another vortex appeared out of thin air. The force of it was enough to hurl the gunman away again, but it still didn't seem to do any damage.

Raising to a knee, the gunman trained on the crater again and fired as Bailey threw something else. I heard the little guy shout in pain as he tumbled back into the hole. A second later, something like ball lightning appeared in the parking lot beside the gunman. Tendrils of light flickered out from the sphere, striking the gunman and every other piece of metal within a dozen yards. I saw the man spasm, and he started rolling away from the flickering orb.

That should have been more than enough to finish any human. But after the ball of energy dissipated, the man rose, if somewhat unsteady. Which confirmed that I was dealing with yet another supernatural creature of some sort; anyone else would be down and out after being electrocuted.

The gunman checked his rifle, but the lightning must have done some damage to it, because he unclipped it from the vest he wore and dropped it. As he drew a hand gun from his right thigh holster, a round from my Beretta took him in the left kneecap.

Really, I want to point out that that was a great fucking shot. Sure, it helped that my glasses allowed me to zoom in on what I was aiming at. And sure, the night vision spell helped illuminate the sparsely lit parking lot lighting. And maybe it helped that the target was stationary, I had a hood to brace myself on, and plenty of luck swinging my way.

All that aside, it was a great fucking shot.

I rejoiced in it for all of one second. But as the gunman fell, he was already twisting my way, and he fired two rounds before I could duck for cover.

The first buried itself in the far side of the car. The second glanced off my spell-worked motorcycle helmet.

"Fuck!" I yelled, falling back behind the vehicle as panic set in. I felt for my helmet, and noted the groove on the upper left side. Sure, maybe if I hadn't been wearing it, it would have missed entirely. But it was a reminder that I had no business messing around with supernaturally fast and accurate gunmen.

I braced myself to do something, either run or see if I could check on the position of the gunman, when I heard a step to my right. I turned and looked up into the barrel of the gunman's Ruger.

"Do svidaniya," the man that didn't look quite human whispered, the words slithering through his pursed lips. He was bald, and his skin had a slick appearance. It was an unnatural gray-green, and looked more like densely packed scales than skin cells. When he spoke, I caught glimpses of snake fangs jutting from his jaws.

A flash blinded me, and I blinked to clear my vision. I caught the tail end of the man's back-swing as he tossed Sal aside, the salamander having burst out of his box in record time. My jacket pocket and the box itself were in tatters where he'd leapt out while growing to his larger size. But the gunman's reflexes were apparently as fast as he was, and he sent the fire elemental whirling way.

Thankfully Sal had leapt on his gun arm, which meant he'd bought me a precious second to try and survive. As the gunman swung his arm back toward me, I opened up at point blank range.

The first round hit him in the gut. The second, just to the right side of his chest. The third left a hole in his throat, and the fourth hit his right eye.

He gagged, staggering from the blows, but remained standing. His gun started retraining on me, despite the fact that his right eye was in ruins, and I panicked. I trained my gun on his and fired into his knuckles. It was enough to throw his aim off as his hand spasmed to the side, and rounds chewed the pavement to my left.

My ninth round hit him right in the forehead, and he dropped to the ground.

I may have been hyperventilating as I stared at him, training my gun at his body. It took me a minute to realize that the magazine was spent, and I kicked my feet until I was standing. I slid the magazine out and fumbled for the one in my jacket that still had three rounds left. Only after it was loaded did I try and still my rapid pulse.

The gun was pointing right at the man. My finger was trembling on the trigger. I'd seen enough movies to know that they're never dead that quickly. There's always that moment when the hero least expects them—

And that's when his body lurched up, quick as a snake, his good eye glowing red as he reached for me.

My three rounds hit him, the last of which busted his jaw. But even as it sagged to one side, he didn't slow down. With his good hand, he seized me by my throat and lifted me off the ground. I ended up staring at the wound in the center of his forehead, where the skin had been peeled back to reveal some sort of glowing red stone. A hiss escaped his lopsided maw as he started to squeeze.

In just as many minutes, Sal saved my life a second time. His terrier sized form leapt between us, and I saw his teeth sink into the guy's arm. Rather than letting himself be thrown a second time, he clawed at the limb, and whipped a flaming tail in the man's face. Fire licked at his remaining good eye, and he released me as he struggled to throw the salamander off.

I fell, but reached for my boot as I did. I was almost out of weapons, and wasn't sure what good a knife would do me. But if the thing were Fae, a good dose of steel might help matters.

The man slung Sal aside again, his strength entirely unfair, and then turned back to me. I saw his left eye had burns around it, but the eye remained intact. That was almost as disappointing as seeing that the wounds in his neck and right eye had begun to heal.

I stabbed at the man's leg with the steel blade, praying that it would do some good.

I wondered if I might be doing it wrong when the blade snapped in half.

"Shit," I said as the man reached for me. I had my brass knuckles doing me absolutely no good in my pocket, along with the party poppers. There was still the silver-plated blade in my other boot, but I didn't have time to reach for it before the man's hand was closing around my neck again.

I fumbled for the silver blade, knowing I wouldn't be fast enough, but unwilling to give up. The man had started lifting me again rather than simply crushing my throat, so I had an extra second.

Just as I got a grip on the handle, the man's eyes shifted to the side, and then he was gone. He moved fast, faster than anything I'd seen short of Q, and I was falling back to the ground again.

There was a flash of reflecting light as a blade swept by me, swiping where the man's arm had been. A sword spun through the space, faster than my eye could track, and then the form holding it was darting after the retreating man. The two were like different shades of quicksilver as they danced back and forth. I watched as the two disappeared around the edge of the vehicle, their duel unnatural and yet beautiful.

The side of the car squealed beside me, before a piece of the wheel basin fell free where the blade had cut through it.

I wondered for a second if the new arrival would have cared or not if I'd have been in the way of that blade. The more likely answer spurred me into action. I gathered what was left of my weapons and tucked them away, leaving only my silver blade in my palm. I peeked around the car, and saw that the two were fighting their way across the lot.

Pedestrians had appeared across the way, and I saw that several had their camera phones out and recording. I laughed at the thought that this would make the news, until I I saw a young girl crouching by the crater.

Whatever state the phoenix was in was enough to distract her. She didn't spare a glance at Bailey as he frantically climbed from the hole in the pavement, yelling, "Back! Back!"

I bolted toward them, and saw him try and pry the girl away. But she tugged her arm away and remained at the edge even as the Fear Dearg grunted in defeat and retreated. There was a glow emanating from the hole, and I saw it when the girl realized the danger.

My leap carried me over the hole, and I saw the phoenix below erupt into flames as it unleashed a fresh wave of fire. I hit the girl hard, shielding her as the fireball erupted around us. The two of us fell, me rolling across her several times until we were far enough from the conflagration that was melting the pavement around the crater.

I released the girl and kept rolling, trying to extinguish the flames. I could feel them chewing their way through the spell-worked leather of my jacket, and my pants were all but gone.

And then Sal was there, hopping on me, trying to smother the flames. After a few moments, they were out, but the heat chewed at my body, and I knew I was in bad shape.

"Oh God, I'm sorry," the girl said as she knelt beside me. I grimaced, and pushed her away to see what was happening back at the crater.

The dark form with the sword was still battling with the serpent man. I saw the man thrust an open palm at the other form, and the air wavered as some force lashed out. The second form spun away, impossibly nimble, as what I could only call inverted lightning seemed to destroy not only the pavement beneath it, but the air itself. It was like watching a sheet of ice shatter, only the air was what broke apart. Fissures seemed to appear within reality itself, as the destructive force unmade everything in its path. The pavement below turned to dust, and the air broke apart into its elements.

But the second form spun through the air, the feathers on its dark body unruffled. And the sword it held whipped out as it twirled, and took the serpent man's arm off at the elbow.

The man fell back, retreating, as the bird-man sought to close. But another eruption from the crater drew everyone's attention, as a meteor shot up into the night sky.

The bird's wings flapped weakly, but were still enough to send gouts of curling flame out in its wind-shear. The crowd below scattered. After a moment, only the bird-man, the girl, and myself remained. The serpent man had fled, taking his severed arm with him. Then the dark form was gone in a blink, my eyes unable to track its movements.

"Come on, I'll take you to the hospital," the girl said, her voice in a near panic.

She grabbed at what remained of my jacket, but the pieces crumbled away. I struggled to rise, knowing that the burns I'd received were bad. I waved her off, trying to stand on my own, but I staggered and fell. Sal was there, already licking at the worst of the burns. His saliva cooled them, working at healing the damage.

I tried to rise, but the pain racked my body. So instead, I lay there, wheezing on the pavement. I knew I had to get out of there, but there was no way I'd be able to ride my bike. At the minimum, I needed to at least get to it to retrieve the feather compass, but moving that far wasn't an option. Somehow I managed to roll over, but when I looked to where my bike had been, I saw that it was gone. And the feather compass with it.

The sound of screeching tires drew my eyes, and I saw that a car had pulled up close. The girl popped out of the driver's seat and opened the rear door. Then she was at my side, struggling to get me into the back. Sal pushed me along, and together we got me into the rear seat.

As the girl sat in the front, my eyes fell on her rear view mirror. I rolled onto my side, and fumbled for my wallet as she said, "Where's the nearest hospital?"

"Never-mind that," I replied, as Sal tore at my shirt to expose the rest of the burns. "Just take me home."

"What?!" the girl said, turning in shock.

"Trust me," I told her, even as I felt Sal helping turn what would have been second degree burns into nothing more than mild first degree wounds.

The girl started to protest, but a stern stare from me and a glance at my fire elemental was enough to make her listen. She set out, and I closed my eyes, to try and shut out the pain.

Maybe when I got home, I could finally figure out what I could do to make sure I survived the night. Because sunrise was still a few hours away, and I still had a debt to pay.

And the girl driving me home would help me. Of that I was certain. The girl that had stared down at a phoenix not with wonder, but with clinical interest. The girl that hadn't been amazed at the magic being thrown in the parking lot, nor flinched at the site of a salamander the size of a terrier.

Yes, the girl would help me.

Her, and the glowing feather hanging from her mirror.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It took a few minutes to get home. I spent the time getting licked by a salamander and reassuring the barely legal girl that I did not, in fact, want to go to the hospital.

"But you're burns—" she said for the fifth time in two minutes.

"Will be fine," I said, the pain causing my temper to grow short.

"But—"

"Home. Now."

The girl fell silent, and I rested my head on the seat cushion. I couldn't see where we were going, but I hoped she was at least heading in the right direction. Since my place was just north of the loop, she should recognize the street name.

"What were you doing out there?" she finally asked, as she nervously looked around at a stoplight. I wondered if she was watching out for the gunman.

"I could ask you the same," I told her.

"What?" she asked, startled. She shot me a glance, her brown eyes wide with alarm.

I could see that the girl was pretty. She was thin but shapely, with an athletic body. There'd been a strength to her as she'd dragged me across the pavement and into her car. Her skin tone was an attractive mocha, and her straight black hair was tied back in a thick pony-tail.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning her attention back to the road when the light turned green. The car rocked forward, and I shifted at Sal's prodding to let him at another patch of burned skin.

"I mean, it's no coincidence you were there," I said. "Where'd you get the feather from?"

I wasn't facing her after I'd repositioned, but I heard her take a short startled breath. "Um…"

"Don't lie," I warned her. "I've had a long day and a hell of a night, and I don't have time for it."

The girl was silent for a minute, but she eventually gave in. "I bought it from a merchant."

"In Undertown?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. In the Market."

Over the years, Chicago had seen a lot of face-lifts. Fires and the occasional flood required the city to be renovated. Some areas were filled in to raise neighborhoods and business districts above lake-level. Rumor had it that some buildings had sunk in the historically swampy areas. Rather than rebuilding, they'd simply raised the street level, making first floors into basements.

Add to that all the tunnels used by businesses a few decades back, both legitimate and otherwise, and the city ended up with a disjointed system of underground passages and chambers. Most were walled off behind bricks or poured concrete, but there were plenty still accessible.

Although humanity had forgotten about those buried places, the denizens of the supernatural world had not. All sorts of beings lived in the shadows of the skyscrapers. Many of them weren't all-together pleasant, but that didn't mean Undertown was without its gems.

One stretch that was well known to everyone in the supernatural community was the Undertown Market. Stretching a full city block, its collection of formerly ground level shops had been dug out by those that have no need for the light of day. Shops and stores for things you couldn't find elsewhere had sprung up. The clientele were almost entirely inhuman, but every once in a while a brave mortal soul would dare visit the Market.

I'd been to the Market a couple of times. But I'd never gone without Q, and even with him, there had been things trying to sell my body parts before I was done with them.

That this slight girl would head to Undertown meant she was either powerful, brave, or stupid. Likely some combination of the three.

"Been down to the Market much?" I asked, trying to gauge just which trait was dominant.

"No," she said softly. "Only a couple times. But when I heard about the feather…"

"And why did you brave the Undertown Market for a phoenix feather?"

The girl was slow to respond. Rather than answering, she deflected. "Is it true the phoenix stole an apple?"

I frowned and rolled over to look at her. Sal adjusted, and I pushed at him to give me a moment's respite. I was already feeling a hundred times better, even if my skin was still throbbing and aching. "I've seen the bird twice tonight, but didn't see an apple either time."

The girl's shoulders sagged at my words, and I realized why. "You're not after the bird, are you?"

"No," she said, her voice trying to hide her disappointment. "I wanted the apple."

"Why?" I asked. "You trying to gain immortality?"

The girl laughed bitterly at that. "No, nothing like that," she said with a shake of her head. I watched as she kept her eyes on the road. "I just thought, maybe…"

I remained silent, waiting her out. Sal sat on my shoulder, reduced to his normal size again. He gave a forlorn trill as he looked down at the remnants of my coat. His snakewood box had been destroyed when he'd burst out to save me, so he couldn't tuck himself away in his safe place.

I reached down and searched my pockets for the backup box that contained my smokes and his cinnamon sticks. When I pulled it out, he grew excited. I emptied the contents, consisting of five sticks and two smokes. He eagerly took a stick from me and started working on it, while I left the empty box open for him on the seat beside me.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" I asked, slipping a cigarette between my lips.

"What? No," she said quickly. "I mean, yes, I mind."

I sighed, and left the cigarette unlit. "Okay. So tell me what you were thinking."

"Huh?" she replied, her concentration on the road.

"About the apple?"

"Oh, right," she said. She cast a glance back at me, seeming as if she were trying to decide whether or not I could be trusted. "I was just hoping I could use it."

"What is a magic apple good for, other than granting immortality?" I asked, trying to not be too sarcastic.

"Healing?" she asked softly, tentatively.

"You look pretty healthy to me," I informed her, and only belatedly realized how creepy that might sound.

Thankfully it didn't seem to bother her. Instead, she just shook her head. "Not me. My brother."

"Oh." Well that was embarrassing.

"He's been sick for a while," she explained. "Medicine hasn't helped. That's why I joined the Ordo Lebes. To see if maybe magic would help. But the others didn't know of anything, and now…"

"The who?" I asked, not recognizing the name.

"It's a group of local practitioners," she said. "The others were helping me research possible spells, but then last month…" she sighed, the sound of it heavier than it should have been for a girl her age. "Last month was bad."

I sucked in a breath, realizing what she was talking about.

I didn't have a lot of contact with the local magical community, but even I'd heard about the deaths and disappearances. Several women in the Chicago community had gone missing, with more than a few ending up dead. I hadn't heard the details, but word was that the Wizard had resolved the issue.

"You knew the women that were killed?" I asked softly.

The girl nodded. "A few. Not all of them. But Anna, and a couple others."

The car grew silent for a few minutes. Her, lost in her memories of the deceased, and me, wondering how I could possibly make this young woman feel any worse.

"I'm sorry," I eventually said, like we all do when we wish there was anything else to say.

"Thanks," she said softly. "Anyway, with our group hurting, we haven't had the time to do anything for Tavi. But then I got a call about the merchant selling the feathers, and heard that the phoenix had an apple…"

"And you thought maybe it would help your brother," I finished.

"Yes. Maybe," she said, her voice cracking as her worry and stress over her loved one threatened her resolve. "Maybe I'm just being stupid. If it doesn't have the apple, I'm just wasting my time."

"Well, maybe not," I said as I sat up. She glanced my way, and I shrugged. "Maybe it squirreled it away."

The girl nodded, and took a hand away from the wheel to wipe away a few tears. "Maybe."

"I'm Woody, by the way."

"I figured," she said with a smile, tossing back my wallet. "I'm Olivia."

"Nice to meet you Olivia," I said, and saw that we were getting close to my place.

With introductions going around, Sal decided it was time for him to get some attention. He bit down on his second cinnamon stick so that he could scramble up the driver's seat. He ended up perched on the shoulder beside Olivia, who smiled when she saw him munching on his treat.

"And this is Sal," I said with a slight smile.

"Nice to meet you Sal," she said. He trilled happily in response, which elicited a smile from her. "Where did you to meet?"

"Oh, we go way back," I said as I shifted positions, to try and avoid putting too much weight onto my burns. "What's it been, seven years?"

Sal shrugged, which caused Olivia to burst out into laughter. "Oh my gosh, he's precious."

"Don't tell him that, it'll go straight to his head."

Sal glared before turning a shoulder and resumed eating his stick.

"Seriously, where can I get one?" Olivia asked, her voice full of mirth. Smiling looked good on her; certainly a lot better than the dismay she'd been warring with.

"Well, I don't know really," I admitted. "We met back when I was in Lake Providence."

"Is that in Michigan?" she asked.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "It's where I grew up."

"Lots of Salamanders there?" she inquired with a bemused smile.

I was impressed at her identification. "Maybe. He's the only one I ever met."

"How'd that happen?" she asked, clearly looking for something to talk about other than dead friends and dying brothers.

"Well, there was a fire," I explained. "Not far from our house on the lake. I headed over to watch it, since I had…" I trailed off. "Let's just say I have a history with fires."

"Uh huh," she said with an accusing tone.

"Anyway," I said, "I was watching this house go up in flames. Crazy flames; I thought I could see shapes in the smoke. Although the investigators said there were a lot of hallucinogenic chemicals that went up, so maybe I was just getting a contact high."

She laughed at that, so I continued. "So, there I was, watching this crazy house fire at the Sells' place. And I look over at the tree beside me, and there's this flaming little salamander, just as entranced as I was."

A wistful trill followed that statement. "The beginning of a beautiful friendship," Olivia said in her own wistful tone.

"Something like that," I said, deciding not to tell her how those events had ended. "Turn up here."

She did as I requested, and I directed her around to the alley behind the firehouse I called home. When she stopped, I managed to climb out under my own power, and met her as she came around.

"Grab your feather," I told her. She hesitated, but after only a second, she reached into the car and retrieved it. The light from it was pale; I wasn't sure if that meant we were far from the phoenix, or if it meant the bird was dying.

I retrieved my backup key from my hidey-hole, and then let us in the back door. When we were inside, Olivia looked around at the open floor-plan that consisted of my living space and kitchenette.

"Wow," she said, turning back and looking me over, as if re-evaluating what she'd seen so far. Everyone seemed to do that when they realized I was practically living the life of a Ghostbuster in the firehouse. "You really do have a thing about fire."

"You don't know the half of it," I replied, as I made my way toward the kitchen. "Would you believe that I'm a private arson investigator when I'm not running around chasing phoenixes?"

"Of course you are," she said with a laugh. As she looked around, I couldn't help but look her over as well. I was right about her figure; her jeans and shirt didn't reveal much, but she filled them nicely.

"I'm going to go freshen up," I told her. "Then we'll discuss our plans."

"Our plans?" she said, turning back to me. Her interest in my apartment waned as the import of the evening came rushing back. "What plans? The phoenix didn't have the apple. So unless it's tears can heal like those books said, the bird isn't going to do me any good."

"I don't know about the tears thing, but the apple might still be in play," I said, hoping I wasn't misjudging things.

"Really?" she asked, and I flinched at the hope in her voice. If I was wrong, it was going to crush her. And I don't think I could live with myself if that happened.

"Maybe," I said cautiously. "Earlier tonight it stole some wood. But at the strip mall, it didn't have it."

"So?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Why would it care about some wood?"

"Because this was special wood," I replied. I told her quickly about Bailey's trap, and the unique properties of the wood. I hedged a little bit on describing Bailey, since I didn't want to go off on a tangent.

"But still, why does that mean it still has the apple?" she asked, growing doubtful.

"Well, I've seen the thing twice now," I explained. "The first time, it didn't look so hot." I paused, and rolled my eyes at my unintended pun. "I mean, it didn't look healthy. And from the brief glimpse I saw, it looked even worse down in that crater."

"And?"

"Well, if it ate an immortality apple to try and get better, wouldn't it look better?" I said. Before she could poke holes in my theory, I continued on. "After it stole the wood, it headed toward the city. It remained in one direction for a while, before it set out again."

"I remember that," she said with a nod. "I was headed downtown, but then it went north."

"Right," I said. "I think it was stashing the wood with the apple."

"But if it's dying, why would it wait to eat the apple?" she asked, sounding like whatever hope I'd given her was already spent.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I'm confused about all of this. I only found out that phoenixes and immortal apples were real tonight. But the person that got me involved told me to protect the bird until sunrise." I explained. "Something tells me that the timing is important."

"So the bird may have kept the apple," she said doubtfully, as if reluctant to get her hopes up again. "And it may have kept this wood, and stashed it with the apple, until sunrise."

"Right. So after I freshen up, we'll head back out, and see if we can follow it back to its stash."

The girl crossed her arms and frowned. I couldn't tell if she was buying it or not. I hoped so, since without my motorcycle, I had no way of going after the bird. And with Q gone, stealing a ride was out of the option. It was either convince her to work with me, or hire a cab to drive me around all night, looking up at the sky. Without my own feather, that'd be the best I could do.

"What about those other things?" she asked, casting me a worried glance. "We're clearly not the only ones hunting for the bird."

"No, we're not," I told her. I hadn't even mentioned the Hag. "There's at least six of us that seem to be looking for it. You and me, Bailey, a woman I really don't want to run into again, and the two you saw in the parking lot."

"Was Bailey the one with the tail?" she asked suddenly.

"Er, yes," I said, having forgotten his attempts at pulling her clear of the crater.

"So who were the other two?"

"No idea," I said with another sigh. "Look, I really have no idea what I'm doing. I don't normally get involved in things like this, but I owed it to somebody. Someone I probably don't want to piss off. So I'm going to have to stay involved, regardless of the lizard man or bird man or the hag."

"Hag?" Olivia asked, not missing a beat.

"Let's hope she's done for the night," I said. Glancing at the clock and seeing just how short on time we were, I made my decision. "Alright, I'm going to go freshen up. If you're still here when I come back down, we can work together. I'll get what weapons I can to help, and we'll do our best. If you don't want to work with me, that's fine. But without a feather, I'm screwed. So if you're going to give up, I'll buy it off you."

"I'm not giving up," the girl said defensively. "I just want to know what we're dealing with."

"I'll tell you everything I know when I come back down. Fair enough?" I asked as I headed toward the stairs.

The girl nodded, and I saw her look around before settling on the couch. I continued on up to my room upstairs, hoping she didn't see how much it hurt me to even move.

Maybe the best thing would have been to just let it go. I was just about out of weapons, and the few I had remaining wouldn't do any good against the things I'd already seen that night. I was bruised, battered, burned, and so far beyond tired that it felt like it'd been days since I'd slept.

But there was no way I was letting a Chooser of the Slain down. And as outmatched as I was, there was still one card I had left to play.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I headed upstairs and took a quick shower before changing into a fresh set of clothes.

Sal remained downstairs to entertain Olivia, which was just as well. He'd done what he could for my burns. The rest was up to me.

I had some salve to apply to my wounds, which I covered with gauze. Being a recovering pyromaniac that worked as an arson investigator with his own lab in the basement, I was well invested in emergency supplies. Still, I felt a little silly covered in wraps and tape.

For clothing, I settled on a second pair of motorcycle pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. It was a warm night, but the pants were at least somewhat durable. They weren't leather, but the reinforced canvas was better than jeans. I also pulled another light jacket out, and wished that Q had spent some time spell-working a backup. Instead, I'd only have mundane fabrics to stop fire, bullets, and Hag death-rays.

Once I was dressed, I headed over to my dresser, and pulled out my crystal violet.

Over a year earlier, I'd been investigating several fires that had been started by a man in possession of a supernatural item. It was the same case that had put me in Gard's debt, but I'd managed to resolve things without anyone coming to harm. When I'd returned the magical item to it's rightful owner, she'd been grateful, and given me a token of her appreciation.

Said token was a crystal flower of unnatural manufacture. Unnatural, in that she had created with her own power, which was evident when you looked at it. The crystal was slightly luminescent, with shifting colors that had matched the hues of the Greek torch I'd recovered.

I had looked at the crystal flower quite a few times in the nearly eighteen months that I'd had it, wondering what I would do with it. A favor owed by a being such as her was a boon indeed. But what could I ask her for? Wealth? Riches? Luck with women?

Q hadn't been helpful when I'd asked what I could expect, and I had no way of knowing what was and wasn't appropriate. So instead, I'd spent time just holding it, pondering its unknown value.

Now I knew what I'd use it for. I'd use it help me stay alive.

I held the crystal in my hand and closed my eyes, thinking of the woman that had given it to me. The beautiful creature that had been restored once her torch has been returned to her. The being whose name I knew not, and simply thought of as Violet.

"Please help me," I whispered softly.

I had no idea if it would work or not. Maybe there were only certain nights she could appear. It'd taken her three days to arrive after word had been sent about her torch, and the man that had possessed it had lit fires every three nights. Did that mean that she might not come for another night or two? If so, it'd likely be too late for me.

The cold crystal grew warmer in my hand. I opened my eyes, and saw that the Handmaiden of Hecate had arrived.

She stood before me, her arrival as silent as a winter night. Her wardrobe hadn't changed since I'd last seen her; her body was shrouded in a cloak of the deepest purple, with a hood that matched. The fabric was almost dark enough to be black, and at first glance, I couldn't pierce the shadows of her hood.

But then her pale hands lifted and drew back the hood, and my breath caught.

"Um, hi," I said nervously, as amaranthine eyes locked onto mine.

"Hello," she replied with a slight inclination of her head. Her accent was odd but melodious.

"Oh, you speak English now?" I asked, surprised. She hadn't spoken much the last time, but Q had confirmed what little she said was Greek.

"Little," she said softly with a playful smile, holding up two fingers close together. It was surreal, seeing an unnatural beauty making such a casual gesture. "I learn."

And a beauty she was. Her hair was a cascade of mulberry locks, which matched her delicate eyebrows. Her eyes had that shadowed appearance that everyone was duplicating with makeup those days, but it looked natural on her. Her plump lips drew the eye, quirking up at the corners in amusement as I studied her.

"Well, that's good. Learning, I mean," I blabbered, having trouble remembering the language myself.

Her dark eyes narrowed slightly as she looked me over, and a delicate hand reached out for me. Her fingertips were cool to the touch, but as she pressed them against my skin, they warmed quickly.

"Hurt?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"A little," I confirmed. "I took some pain killers."

Violet pursed her lips, which was distracting in and of itself. I felt a tingle where her palm pressed against my neck, and felt the pain fade away.

"Wow, thanks," I said as I flexed and moved my body. I hadn't realized just how much pain I'd been in until it was gone. There was still a tight feeling where the burns stretched, but the dull agony had disappeared.

"Still hurt," she said with a gentle reproof in her voice. She gestured to a spot wrapped in linen. "Not mine."

"Not yours?" I asked, confused.

"Scars. Burns," she said, looking up at me with her hypnotizing eyes.

"Oh. You mean like last time. No, what you've done has been a great help," I assured her.

The last time I'd seen her, I'd been burned by the flames from her Lampad torch. With a touch, she'd been able to heal those wounds. I'd checked myself over later, and there wasn't a trace of them. I was assuming that she meant she couldn't actually heal my new injuries, as they weren't hers to heal.

Her gaze shifted to the crystal flower in my hand, and then back to my face. "Claim?"

"Yes," I said softly, if regretfully. I'd grown attached to the little flower over the last year, and found myself reluctant to part with it. But I needed help if I was going to survive the night, and she was the only person I could call on.

I quickly explained about the phoenix, and how I was supposed to protect it until dawn. I described those that I had faced, and her frown returned. When I was finished, she was silent, considering everything.

"Zmeu," she said darkly. I think she realized my confusion, as she explained by making a hissing noise.

"Lizard man?" I asked. She nodded.

"Zmeu, fire," she said with a cautious tone. "Φοῖνιξ, Fire."

I wasn't sure about that one, but it sounded like 'phoinix'. I could put two and two together. "Yeah, that's what burned me."

She nodded slightly. "Help."

Violet lifted her right hand, and then turned the world around it. That's as close as I can describe it. One moment her hand was empty. The next, it was as if reality shifted, revealing the Lampad torch I'd returned to her.

The flames atop the torch flickered happily, casting the room in hues of lavender and lilac. Maybe it was my imagination, but I felt like the fires recognized me, and almost seemed to wave. I barely held back from waving in return.

When I'd briefly possessed the torch the previous year, it had enchanted me with its will. Someone had gone to great lengths to hurt the thing, torturing it with baleful magic, until it was twisted and malicious. I'd taken the torch in my hand, and had felt its rage and hate. I'd felt a calling to set the world ablaze. It's flames had been angry and resentful then, and I'd had no will to resist its nature.

All of that was gone now. The light still called to me, but no longer did it feel like a force of nature seeking to be unleashed. Instead, it was a torch of illumination, held by the being that it was meant for.

"Miss you," Violet said with a smile, and the flames flickered back and forth.

"Me?" I asked, surprised.

"Flame soul," she said, touching my chest with her free hand. With the other, she dipped the torch. "Recognize."

"Okay," I said, not entirely understanding, but willing to go with it.

The handmaiden grew thoughtful, and looked to the torch. She lifted it, and I briefly worried that the dancing flames might get a little too close to my ceiling. But they didn't quite reach high enough as Violet ran a finger along the base of the torch. It was a slow circular motion, one which took several passes. As she did, the crystal flower in my hand began to glow, before dissipating into a million motes of amethyst light.

When it was gone, she withdrew her hand from the torch and held it forth. Resting in her palm was a white ring.

"Is this for me?" I asked, hesitating. She nodded, and I plucked it from her grasp. It was cool to the touch, but filled me with a warmth inside. I turned the ring over in my fingers, noting that it was made from the same material as the torch. It wasn't actually stone; to be honest, I couldn't tell what it was. It was the color of pale bone, but was smooth and polished like marble.

"Wear," she urged. Looking at the size and taking a queue from _Green Lantern_ , I slipped the ring onto the middle finger of my right hand. It fit like a glove, but clinked slightly against the fire-starting ring I wore on my ring finger.

"What does this do?" I asked. The ring was warm against my skin, but I didn't feel any different. I _did_ glance at the mirror, to see if I was still visible. Because let's face it, that's the first thing you're going to think of when you hear about a magical ring, right?

But I was still there, and Violet was still looking at me, a pleased smile on her lips.

Then she dipped her torch at me.

"Wait!" I said quickly, but not quick enough. The flames washed over my left arm, and I flinched back to beat at them.

But when the torch drew away, I saw that I was fine. Even the long sleeve shirt I wore was unblemished.

I looked at Violet as her hand twisted again, and the torch disappeared. With both hands free, she took mine up and raised them before me. Leaving my left hand floating, she lifted the right to her lips and whispered a word. It wasn't the command word Q had programmed for the fire-starting ring, but the dark metal inset into the silver ring began to glow brightly all the same.

When it was red hot, she took my hand and placed it over my right. I flinched again, because let's face it, nearly twenty-five years of knowing hot things burn don't go away with one demonstration of fire immunity.

The ring touched against my skin, but I didn't feel the heat. She left it pressed against me for a moment, making sure I understood, before withdrawing it.

I thought I saw a flicker of violet where it had touched me, but then there was nothing. She whispered in a strange language again, and the ring's heat dissipated.

"Wow," I said, looking at the new ring. A giddy thought popped into my head, and I just had to try it. "Flame on!"

I posed, waiting, but nothing happened. Violet looked at me, slightly startled at my outburst. I considered trying to explain, but decided to simply look embarrassed instead. "Sorry."

"No flame," she said cautiously, making sure I understood. "No burn."

"I get it," I said with a smile. "Thank you."

"Debt payed," she replied with a slight inclination of her head.

I opened my mouth to reply, suddenly worried that I wouldn't see her again. But I stopped, realizing that once the night was over, she'd likely return for the ring.

She must have sensed my mood, but misunderstood the reason. Laying a hand gently on my shoulder, she nodded firmly. "No worry."

"Right," I said softly, clenching my hand as my thoughts returned to what I had to look forward to.

Violet looked up at me with those brilliant eyes of hers, and my mood brightened. It drew a smile from me. "Thank you."

Violet smiled as well, and then stepped up onto her toes to kiss me.

Heat flushed through me as those velvety lips pressed against mine. I found myself drawn down to them, eager for more, but she withdrew after only a moment.

"Luck," she explained with a smile.

And before I could try and think of anything to say, she was gone in a swirl of light.

* * *

A few minutes later I headed downstairs, where I found Olivia waiting with Sal.

Surprisingly, he'd grown back into his larger size, and was curled up in her lap so that she could pet him. Olivia was stroking his head and neck, and the fire elemental was giving of soft rumbling trills of pleasure.

"Ready to go?" she asked, looking up. Sal glanced my way, and wagged his tail excitedly like a dog. I wondered if maybe he was being a little too domestic.

"Almost," I told her. I headed down to the basement where I keep my ammo box, and reloaded the two magazines. Then I ran down into sub-basement to Q's lab, where I rummaged around for anything that might give me an edge. He'd be pissed, but I'd rather deal with his anger over dying a miserable and helpless death.

When I came back upstairs, I found Olivia standing and ready to go. Sal was on the empty cigarette box on the coffee table, which I noted was once more lacking in cinnamon sticks. As I'd put several back in when we'd arrived, I cast a suspicious look his way. He simply looked to Olivia, as if it were her fault.

"Do you have any offensive tools or spells?" I asked her as I walked up. I knew she was a member of that Ordo group, but wasn't sure exactly where her talents lay.

"Not really," she said, tugging a necklace from her shirt. "This is supposed to be a good luck charm," she said, gesturing toward the small blue stone hanging from the chain. And these," she said, holding up a charm bracelet, "do a variety of things, but nothing really offensive."

"So your plan was to just catch up to the bird and ask it for the apple?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She looked chagrined as she replied, "Well, it was supposedly dying. I was hoping to find it weakened."

I shook my head and handed her a couple things. "These are bola balls. I had another set, but they're in a field somewhere." After I passed them to her, I told her the command word, and explained how they worked. Then I gave her a couple party poppers, and explained how they worked. She didn't look impressed, but took the short wooden rods and tucked them away in her back pocket.

A silver knife followed those, matching the one I had in my boot. Then came a thick wooden rod about eighteen inches in length, with a leather handle wrapped around one end. The other was capped with an iron cap. A ball of iron the size of a pool ball accompanied it.

"What is this?" she asked, holding the two in her hands.

I held out the second staff and ball that I'd retrieve from Q's arsenal. They looked fairly harmless.

" _Mac-thôl_ ," I said sharply.

As soon as I said it, the ball snapped from my hand and flew at the capped end of the rod. When it was about six inches from it, a glowing green line shot out to connect them. The magical line, identical to that used in my bola and net beads, united ball and rod. When the line attached to the ball, metal spikes emerged from the smooth surface. The ball spun around the end once or twice before falling to a weighted rest at the end of the green line, its light faded once the magic was spent.

"Wow," Olivia said breathlessly, eying the magical mace.

"It's iron, so it should have some extra wallop against the Fae and their like," I explained. "The Zmeu wasn't affected by iron, but it might help against the Hag."

"The what?" Olivia asked, looking surprised.

"The lizard guy may be something called a Zmeu," I said. "But don't ask me what that is, because I don't really know."

"Oh," she said, and then turned back to her own rod and ball. She repeated the command, but nothing happened. I corrected her pronunciation, and on the third try, the ball snapped out and joined her rod. " _Cool_. Where did you get these?"

"I know a guy," I said vaguely.

Q had an entire cabinet of weaponry down in his rooms, but I'd only ever used a handful. There were blades as well, but since we weren't trained to use them, we'd probably be more harm to ourselves than to anyone else. There was also a crossbow and other seemingly crude weapons that had been magically enhanced, but I didn't know the command words for those.

I taught Olivia the command to release the ball from the end as a projectile and the command to de-power the weapon. Once we'd done that, we realized there was too much for her to carry, so I had to find a bag for her to use. I ended up giving her my work satchel bag to carry everything, and then we got ready to go. My own rod was tucked into an inner pocket of my coat, and jutted up uncomfortably.

"You got the feather?" I asked as we exited the back door.

"Yeah," she confirmed. She fumbled for it as I closed the door and locked up. It dangled from the end of a string, but didn't hang straight down, It seemed to lean to the west. "Looks like it's that—"

That's as far as she got before a burst of light erupted between us.

The blast threw us apart, and I found myself on my back in the alley. My ears were ringing, and spots swam in my vision. As I blinked them away, I saw that my glasses were askew, and tried to straighten them.

Something landed on my chest, and my breath burst from my lungs. A clawed hand grasped my raised wrist and slammed it back to the ground, hard enough to wrench my shoulder.

Sal squirmed out of his box, but a second clawed hand flicked him away. I heard him growl behind me, but it ended in a surprised yelp. A struggle broke out, but I couldn't turn to look. The hag broke out into a mad cackle as her second hand shot out and closed around my neck, cutting off my breath and slowly killing me.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

My free hand clutched futilely at the powerful wrist choking me to death.

"Insignificant _worm_ ," the hag rasped. "How _dare_ you attack me."

"Ack," I replied, desperate for oxygen.

"You thought to kill _me?_ " she raged, her breath hot on my face as she leaned in. "You, a powerless mortal, thought to best _me?_ "

I gave up on removing the hand from my throat, and instead went for my gun. My jacket was unzipped, and I managed to awkwardly grab at the grip with my left hand and pulled it out. But before I could pop the safety and aim, the hand clutching my neck whipped away to strike the gun from my hand.

That at least bought me a precious breath, but her hand quickly returned to my neck. Grabbing it, she lifted my head slightly from the ground, only to slam it back down. My head spun again from the blow, and I wished I'd brought my helmet with me. Like a fool I'd left it inside, thinking it was unnecessary since I wasn't going to be on my bike.

" _Fool_ ," the hag spat, hatred filling her voice as she scowled down at me. "Mortals and their guns. As if such primitive tools could stop a thing such as I."

She slammed my head into the pavement a few more times, and I almost blacked out.

" _He_ thought the same," she rasped. "He left me for dead, like my sisters. But after I've gained the phoenix's blood, I'll make sure to teach him as well."

I had no idea what she was talking about, but those days, I rarely knew what _anyone_ was talking about. All I knew was that I was dying, and no-one seemed to be doing anything to prevent that.

I could hear Sal still struggling behind me, and wondered what the Hag had brought with her to keep him occupied. There was no sign of Olivia, and I couldn't reach my weapons. All I had was my shiny new ring, which wasn't doing me any damn good against the Hag's strength.

But then I remembered the other ring I wore.

The hag was holding my right forearm, but I could still move my wrist. I managed to twist my hand around, and grasped at her leathery skin.

" _Dosta_ ," I gurgled, thinking the command clearly if not pronunciating it perfectly. It worked well enough, because the ring that I used to light my cigarettes started to glow red-hot against the hag's flesh.

I knew it was working, because I heard her skin sizzle. She grunted in surprised pain, but just shifted her grip lower on my wrist so that I couldn't touch her. Her mouth opened wide in an angry hiss, and I saw unnaturally long teeth descend toward my face.

Just before she tore my nose off, the Hag arched backward, her hands lifting from me as she howled in pain.

My lungs heaved as I took in a breath, and saw that the Hag was twisting around. I heard Olivia grunt as she brought her mace around for another strike. The Hag grabbed at the line, but the spiked iron head slashed across her wrist. She screamed as red blood dribbled from the wound, and she released her grip on the weapon.

Olivia prepared another blow, but the Hag was faster. Flinging her wrist at the girl, she spit out a spell that sounded like snakes writhing over one another. The drops of blood she cast at Olivia flickered with a crimson light before turning into a swarm of red hornets. They flew at the girl, and she back-pedaled to try and escape.

I wasn't wasting time while all that happened. As the hag turned back around, I withdrew a party popper from my pocket and shoved it in her face.

" _Blechta!_ " I shouted as loudly as I could manage.

At the command, two spells fired. The first was tied to my glasses. The lenses went completely dark, blocking my vision as the second made the end of the stick burst open in blinding light.

The sizzling sound of fireworks accompanied the flash, and even through my closed eyelids and shielded glasses, the light dazzled my eyes. The hag screamed, the burst of colors erupting right before her.

With the light spell spent, my glasses grew transparent again, and I saw that the hag was clutching at her face. I tried using the opportunity to pull myself from beneath her, but she felt me moving. With her eyes still clenched shut in pain, she whipped a clawed hand back to rake down at me.

Before the arm began to descend, a blue crystal flickered past my vision, and the hag's head and neck disappeared into a crystalline glacier. Her voice cut off as ice filled her mouth and throat, and she leapt off me as she retreated, clawing at the ice.

Her long fingernails grew red hot as she slashed at the ice, and chunks sloughed away as she freed herself. She was livid, but her attention was behind me. I scrambled for the gun I'd dropped, and she saw when I had it.

Rather than trying to go another round, the Hag spun in a blur of rags and flesh, darting down the alley. I saw her form dip low as she passed the writhing Olivia, who was still fighting off the last of the blood hornets. Then the Hag was gone in a swirl of smoke and shadow.

I started to rise, but Sal leapt passed me, darting toward the girl. His feathered gills were extended and aflame as he set about chasing the hornets off. When the last of them were gone, he turned back, checking on the two of us.

Footsteps sounded behind me, and I looked up into the squished face of my savior.

"Feckin' Hag," Bailey spat, literally, as a glob of spit landed on the pavement beside me.

I sagged back down to the alley floor, as the adrenaline of the fight wore off, leaving me shaking in fear.

* * *

Within moments, we were back in my living room, where Olivia sat on the couch, patiently allowing the Fear Dearg to spread an ointment on the wounds inflicted by the hornets. Each sting had swollen badly, leaving her face, neck, and hands covered in marble-sized welts.

"What is that?" she asked the little guy. She didn't seem phased by receiving treatment from a supernatural creature.

"Pennyroyal," he wheezed out as he applied another liberal portion. He'd pulled a jar from one of the infinite pockets he seemed to have sewn into his vest, and had set to work immediately.

"It smells like spearmint," Olivia said, wincing as his gentle touch irritated the wounds.

"Here," I said, offering her some painkiller and a glass of water. Once she'd taken them, I flopped onto the other end of the couch and laid my head back.

"Now what?" Olivia asked as she glanced at me.

"Now nothing," I replied, unable to keep the exhaustion from my voice. I'd taken some more painkiller myself, as my throat and wrist were both chaffed and soar.

"But we can't just give up," she protested, sitting up further. Bailey stepped back and put the jar away as he watched us.

"What can we do?" I asked, throwing my arms up helplessly. "She took the feather. We have no way of tracking the bird."

It'd only taken moments for us to discover why she'd hovered over Olivia before retreating. The Hag had taken the one thing we had that would allow us to follow the trail of the phoenix. Without it, we were lost.

Bailey confirmed that both mine and his feathers were gone as well. He'd been the one to take my bike back in the parking lot. Not long after that, the Hag had descended on him, and managed to escape with both of the feathers.

"How'd she find you?" Olivia had asked.

"She used her feather to track each o' the others," Bailey had replied. "Same way she found ye."

Which left us with no leads, and no way to fulfill my debt to Gard. No way to try and find the apple for Olivia's brother, nor find any hope for profit for Bailey. The only reason Bailey had been there to save us because he'd used my keys to hone a locater spell on me. If he hadn't been returning my bike, we'd both be dead.

We'd failed. Miserably.

"There must be something," the girl insisted.

"I'm fresh out of ideas," I told her. "Unless you can figure out a way to get another feather."

The girl and the Fear Dearg looked at each other. I glanced at them, and they looked back to me.

"What?" I asked.

"The merchant," Bailey said. "In the Market."

"You think he might have another feather?" Olivia asked.

The little guy shrugged, his rat nose squinching up. "Maybe. He told me he only had the one, but that was clearly a lie."

I glanced at the clock, and saw that we only had about three hours until daylight. Not much time to make a trip to Undertown, find a merchant that had probably closed up shop already, and then find the phoenix. Not when others were likely to find it long before we could hope to get there.

But I owed a Valkyrie a favor.

I sighed, and pulled myself off the couch.

"Alright, lets go."

The other two bolted into action, gathering what they could to resume the hunt.

* * *

"It sounds like a Zmeu," Bailey confirmed as we made our way through the tunnels of Undertown. "I'm surprised you recognized it."

I didn't tell either of them about Violet. "Name just came to me. Don't know anything about them, though."

"They're tough," the Fear Dearg said grumpily, no doubt recalling his fight with the thing. "Old world dragon-type."

"Wait, dragon?" Olivia said, catching up to him to shoot him a wide-eyed stare.

"Not really," he explained. "They be lizard men. Tough buggers with hard hides. Strong, fast, agile. And they can breath fire."

"Wow," Olivia replied, entirely too enthusiastic for the subject matter.

"That's not the half o' it," Bailey said, his own enthusiasm growing with the girl's attention. "They can also shape-shift into Balaur."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Three headed dragon."

"No way!"

I really didn't understand her excitement. Maybe if I'd run into a dragon at a party or something, sure. I could see where chatting one up might be fun, assuming it didn't crush me.

But the thing had come entirely too close to killing me. And it had practically been effortless. He'd used mundane mortal weapons against us, most likely trying to avoid drawing attention with a supernatural fight, and it had almost put me six feet under. Only after that other thing had showed up had it resorted to magical combat.

"What was the bird man?" I asked as we wound our way through a maze of slimy brick and mortar.

"The Kenku," Bailey said, nodding. "Now _that_ was unexpected."

"What's a Kenku?" Olivia asked, her curiosity abundant.

"Special breed o' warriors," he replied, sounding impressed himself. "Ye very rarely see them out and 'bout. Though it makes a certain sense."

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, in the supernatural world, there's a bit o' a feud between avians an' serpents," Bailed explained. "Always has been. All the tales ye hear are 'bout dragons an' phoenixes battlin'. Firebirds an' Fenghuang killing snakes an' serpents. The Wakį́nyąn in their eternal struggle against the Misikinubik. They _really_ don't get along."

"So the Kenku was hunting the Zmeu?" I guessed.

"Probably not," he replied, shaking his head. "The Kenku are based out o' Japan, and the Zmeu are from Eastern Europe an' Northern Asia. They don't cross paths often."

"Then why was it there?" Olivia asked as we made our way through a steel grate. Bailey was careful to avoid touching it with his slim tail as he jumped through.

"Probably the same reason as Hero here," he said, pointing a thumb at me.

"He was blindsided by a vague request from someone clearly trying to get him killed?" I asked sardonically.

"No," the Fear Dearg said, un-phased by my attitude. "The Hō-ō are the top o' the avian chain in Japan. They're the Japanese take on the phoenix. The Kenku most likely have a great respect for them, and want to protect it."

"Well that's good," Olivia said, shooting me a smile. "We may have another ally."

"One that most likely won't want you to take the apple," I reminded her.

She frowned at that.

"Here we are," Bailey announced. He punctuated his statement by pounding on a blank section of stone wall. I looked about, but didn't see anything abnormal about the section of tunnel.

"Are you sure?" I asked him, looking doubtfully at him. He was well illuminated in my magical-enhanced glasses. Olivia was struggling to keep track of things with the light on her smart-phone.

"Of course," he replied indignantly as he pounded on the wall again. "I know this guy."

A few minutes passed, with Bailey growing more agitated as the wall refused to do anything. I was just beginning to wonder if he'd lost it when a stone slid away, revealing a pair of eyes.

"What is it?" a deep voice asked. When the eyes saw who was calling, the voice added, "All sales final."

"Open up the damn door, ye flop!" Bailey shouted.

The stone slid back into place, and a moment later a grinding sounded. It was brief, and the section of wall that Bailey had been pounding on swung inward.

"Come in," the voice rumbled. Bailey was quick to comply, as was Olivia. I followed at the rear, and turned back as the stone door rumbled closed behind me.

As I looked back into the room, I saw that we were in a fairly large space. It wasn't anywhere near the Market, but Bailey had said that the merchant would be home at that hour. Still, the place was packed with items, and I wondered if the merchant kept his supply split between the two locations.

I finally looked over the hulking figure in the shadowy space, my first glimpse of a real live Gargoyle.

The thing probably stood six feet, although its form was hunched. Its figure was chiseled — literally - with muscle, and it looked like it could give as good as it could take. The gray slab tone of its skin certainly looked like stone, but it moved like flesh. Large wings curled over its back, with sharp protrusions at the joint.

It was nude, although it didn't seem to make a difference. There wasn't anything where one might expect, so I couldn't know if it was a male or female.

Look, I wasn't trying to check it out. But it was hunched with its legs spread wide, just like you see on building statues. It's hard _not_ to notice.

Its facial features were grotesque, although the marble texture of its skin made it somehow less frightening. The visage, with it's wide jaw with sharp teeth accompanying deep-set eyes and short horns, might have normally scared me. But it looked like a stone statue. Maybe those cartoons from my youth had immunized me from the danger that the creature posed, but I just wasn't feeling threatened.

"What do you want?" the thing rumbled, its eyes the same matte color of its skin as they shifted between us. They paused on me, no doubt wondering who I was.

"We need ta know if ye have any more feathers?" Bailey asked.

"Nope," the thing rumbled, and turned away. The front door started opening on its own again, and Bailey cast it a quick glance before chasing after the slowly retreating Gargoyle.

"Come on, Grend," the Fear Dearg called after it. "I know ye were holdin' out on me earlier."

"Maybe," the gargoyle said with a slow shrug of its shoulder. "But not now."

"Please," Olivia pleaded, stepping forward. "It's very important."

"I only had five," the monstrous stone thing said when it turned back to the slight girl. "You two each bought one. The agent of the Bragi took another. I sold one to a Zmeu, and a Hag took the last."

"Yer not fibbin'?" Bailey asked, quirking an eyebrow at the gargoyle.

"No," Grend rumbled. If he were offended by the implication, he didn't let on.

Olivia's shoulders sagged, and I saw her tremble as she finally gave up. She turned away, the loss of her hope causing her to shake. I reached out for her, but she pulled away, shielding her face in her hands.

I couldn't imagine her disappointment. The hunt for the phoenix was just a task for me, and a grab for profit for Bailey. But for Olivia, it had been a search for one last hope for her brother.

The gargoyle saw the girl's reaction, but I can't say it was moved by it. It was hard to tell with a face that hardly moved.

"Is there anythin' else?" Bailey asked. "Anythin' that could help us find it?"

Grend shrugged again, the effort seeming great to simply lift that stone shoulder. "It is dying. It will nest to be reborn."

His words drew me forward. "What do you mean, nest?"

The gargoyle turned to me. "They nest. They die. They are reborn on the dawn of the summer solstice." He shrugged again. "That is their nature."

"Any idea where it would nest?" Bailey asked. Olivia had turned back, and was wiping away unshed tears as she listened.

"In a forest," Grend grumbled. "In the highest branches."

"Where is there a forest around here?" Bailey asked, turning back to us.

"There was the one we were in earlier," I said, "but that's just a preserve. Nothing really standing out about it."

"There are plenty of parks," Olivia added. "There's the gardens up north, too."

"Any of them higher than the others?" Bailey asked. "Any with particularly tall trees?"

Olivia started to respond, but I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Wait."

The two looked to me as I considered the possibility. I turned to Grend, who was staring dully at me. "So it would definitely want the highest trees around, right?" The thing nodded. I turned back to Bailey. "And when we tracked it earlier, it headed toward downtown for a stretch, right?"

"Right," Bailey said, not following.

"And it didn't have the apple or the wood with it up north," I said, growing more confident. "Which means it most likely dropped them off somewhere for safe keeping."

"What's yer point?" the Fear Dearg asked.

"I think I know where it's nesting," I said, growing excited.

The others looked between themselves, and then back to me. I glanced at my watch, and my heart lurched when I saw the hour.

"We've got to hurry," I said, turning back toward the still gaping door.

"Wait, where are we going?" Olivia asked as she hurried after me. Bailey was on her heels.

I glanced at her as I entered the tunnel, grinning as I convinced myself I was right.

"To the most improbable forest in Chicago."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I was seventeen when I first encountered magic; when I watched a neighbors house burn down in flames of unnatural hue, and met the fire elemental that would change my life.

Ever since then, I'd hungered for information on the magical world. When I first moved to Chicago, I'd moved in with a friend of the family. I enrolled in the city college to get my degree in Applied Sciences, to begin my career as an arson investigator. But at the same time, I scrounged the city for any signs of the supernatural.

One of the few mortal sources of information on the supernatural world was the Chicago _Arcane_ , a magazine of dubious reputation. They reported on anything and everything happening in the Midwest that wasn't quite mundane. Most of it was crap, but a few pieces here and there seemed to actually find something.

That's where I'd first heard about the Rothchild Forest.

The Rothchild Hotel was a ritzy place downtown, close to the shores of Lake Michigan. It was a big glamorous building made of marble, stone, and glass. Only the wealthy could afford it, and if you had to ask how much per night, you had no business staying there. It was the kind of place that had only the best of everything. The best staff with the best facilities, all to accommodate the best customers. The best management kept a steady eye on everyone and everything that passed through its doors.

So it was a real mystery when a maintenance worker happened across a previously undiscovered rain forest on the roof.

The hotel denied it, of course. But blurry pictures had been taken of a lush garden in a massive open air greenhouse surrounded by soaring trees, that somehow remained warm and comfortable all year long. Rumor said that it was a secret feature available only to the elite. Some said the hotel had no idea how it got there, or how it was sustained. It was even said that sometimes the roof became inexplicably inaccessible, but was normally just your standard open air space with air conditioning units galore. No-one could agree on just how and what was up there.

When I'd heard about it, I wanted to check it out. Word on the Understreet was that there was a secret elevator on the back wall that could take you up to the roof. With my magically enhanced glasses, I'd found the elevator, normally hidden from mortal sight. But I didn't have a key to operate it, so I never went any further.

That night, as the four of us disembarked from Olivia's car, I knew we'd have to find away around that issue.

"There!" Olivia shouted, pointing up at the side of the hotel.

Bailey, Sal, and I all looked up, and saw what she'd spotted out of the corner of her eye. Over halfway up the building was a dark figure. Even from that distance, I could guess at who it was.

"Is that the Zmeu?" Bailey said, squinting. Apparently his long distance sight wasn't great.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," I replied, staring up.

"We've got to hurry!" Olivia said. "It'll be on the roof soon!"

As I turned to look at her, another dark form appeared in the night as it passed our car. I flinched, but then relaxed when I saw the figure leap to the third story. Its feathered arms helped it glide upward, before clutching to the stone siding. From there, the Kenku leapt and twisted, making quick work of the seemingly unscalable building.

"Right. We're going to be late for the party," I said, running toward the backside of the building. I activated the extra-sensory spell on my glasses with the command word, " _Panti_ _ë_ ," and then led the others to it. I pushed the button, with Olivia staring at me as if I'd gone as crazy as Bailey, pretending a door was hidden on a blank wall.

But when the elevator doors opened, she was the first to dart inside, her eyes wide with wonder.

"This is incredible!" she exclaimed, even as Bailey crouched next to the panel.

Rather than having buttons, the panel had a single keyhole. I'd tried picking it on previous visits, but nothing I could do would make it work. I'd asked Q about it, and he'd grumbled about leaving it alone.

Bailey had no such qualms, as he tried keys from his keyring. He'd claimed on the way that there wasn't a lock that could keep him out. When he'd brandished an actual skeleton key, I hadn't questioned him further.

"Ha!" he shouted as one finally worked. The doors closed, and we all braced ourselves as the elevator rose.

The trip seemed to take forever in our haste. I tapped my heal impatiently, while Olivia frowned beside me. When I glanced at her, she turned my way. "Why is a magic elevator playing Muzak?"

I listened for a moment. "Is that ' _Girl from Ipanema_ '?"

Olivia nodded, and I just shook my head, unable to fathom the minds of some creatures.

" _Tall an_ _' tan an' young, an' lovely, the girl from…_ " We both turned to watch Bailey sing softly under his breath, his tail wagging slowly back and forth with the music. Even Sal peaked out from the box in my coat pocket, staring at the Fear Dearg singing along.

When he saw us looking, he stopped, and his gray face flushed. "Feck off. I like the song."

Finally, the bell dinged, and the doors opened, revealing the Rothchild Forest.

Despite our urgency, I had to take a moment to take in the sight before me. I'd tried imagining what it would look like. Somehow I'd always pictured it as a well manicured garden with some small topiary trees and bushes. The reports of a pond in a clearing were undoubtedly just some plastic tub with a small fountain sprinkling water. I'd seen pictures, but they were blurry and hard to see, and didn't encompass the size of the place. Only those with the elevator visible had convinced people that there really was a building underneath all of the vague shrubbery.

My daydreams hadn't done it justice. It was a real fucking rain forest.

The trees soared up, out of sight in the night sky. There were ferns and undergrowth beneath them, no doubt struggling to get their strands of sunlight by day beneath the canopies. As I stepped out onto the turf, I knew the ground beneath was at least several feet deep to accommodate the roots. The weight of the dirt alone would be enough to crush even the most modern of structures beneath it.

And as impossible as it seemed, the forest just continued on, well beyond sight.

"Um," Olivia said, looking behind the elevator. I turned as well, and realized that the end of the shaft simply jutted out into the middle of the forest. The trees continued on around it, out over where the parking lot should have been.

"Magic," Bailey said softly. "There's a lot of powerful magic here."

A loud crash sounded in the forest, drawing our attention back. I eyed a path in front of us, and led our party onward. Up ahead, the sounds of struggle continued, even as the natural sounds of the forest faded away. It was as if the birds and insects we'd heard back around the elevator had retreated from the area, as if knowing something dangerous was lurking the woods this night.

Eventually we came to the edge of a clearing, where a large pool of crystal clear water sparked in the center of a well manicured garden. There were stones and benches lying here and there, as if for lounging in the beautiful oasis. A mossy lawn looked inviting, tempting my weary body to take a much needed rest. Trimmed hedges the size of small cars lined one section, appearing to be the beginning of a maze. Beds of flowers were scattered all around, each in the middle of bloom, despite some not being in season. Marble statuary, some appearing almost lifelike, were placed throughout the garden. And out of site, more winding paths trailed away, leading to more unseen wonders.

Still, the affect of the beautiful place was almost ruined by the sight of bloody battle between Zmeu and Kenku.

The Kenku was bearing the same blade as it had before, a slender samurai sword or katana. He handled it with deadly precision, and it seemed to take everything the Zmeu had to fend him off with the two blades he'd brought with him.

Their battle tumbled past one of the priceless statues, and a swing of the Kenku's sword sheered right through the stone. The form crashed down as they continued on, cutting a violent swath through the peaceful glade.

Olivia tugged at my sleeve, drawing my attention away. I kept them in my peripheral, knowing that with their speed, they could end up on top of us in no time. But my eyes followed to where she was pointing, and saw what looked to be the stump of a tree.

Only it wasn't. A second glance confirmed that it was a throne of vines, each still alive and healthy if the leaves growing from them were any indication. How someone could manage that—

Well. Magic, I guess.

Upon the seat of the throne was a bundle of branches and limbs. They'd been collected and built into a nest, atop which rested the phoenix. I could see its head swiveling back and forth, watching the other creatures fight among the trees. To my eyes, it looked even worse than it had in the parking lot after its incredible fall. A scattering of its feathers had spread all around the throne as they fell out, leaving its slight form exposed.

And resting beside it, perched on the edge of the seat, was a golden apple.

To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to the apple. My goal had been to find the bird and protect it. But had I taken the time to consider it, I would still have been left in surprised awe of it.

The apple glistened and sparkled in the starlight, as if each heavenly body overhead were focusing its meager light upon it. It's surface was smooth and reflective, as if made of polished crystal. My mouth watered just looking at it, and I could imagine the incredible taste of it as the juices ran down my chin.

"Would ye look at that," Bailey said, his voice soft and respectful for the first time since I'd met him. "A golden feckin' apple."

I glared at him, but found that I had to reach out and snag his smelly fire-rat robe. "Hey, where are you going?" I asked, pulling him back toward the tree line.

"Eh?" he asked, seeming confused.

"We had a deal," I told him. "You don't get anything until dawn."

The Fear Dearg checked his watch. "That's only a few minutes away."

"Then it shouldn't be difficult to wait," I growled at him.

"Fine," he huffed, pulling his robe away from my grasp. "But the Kenku's doing all the work. We might as well—"

His voice trailed off as he looked about. I did as well, and realized we were alone.

"Olivia?" I whispered softly, turning in place. There was no sign of the girl.

As I spun about, Bailey grabbed my arm and tugged. When I turned, I saw him pointing further along the tree line, where Olivia was creeping toward the throne.

"Olivia!" I called out. At the sound of my voice, the phoenix's head swiveled around, and a warning caw emitted from its throat as the nest burst into flames.

The girl continued on despite my warning. I felt Sal leap from my shoulder, and his small form disappeared in the direction of the girl. I started forward, but Bailey tugged me back again.

I started to ask what he was thinking, but the tug turned into a body slam that took me to the forest floor. We tumbled off the trail and down a root embankment just as a blast of magical energy atomized the space where we'd been standing.

"Thanks," I gasped out as I watched a number of trees begin to teeter and fall. Nothing fell our way, but we scrambled across the ground to steer clear of the rampaging Zmeu and Kenku. The odd dark lightning I'd seen earlier struck out from the Zmeu's hand, the same one that had been chopped off earlier that evening. The energy struck all around the Kenku, but the bird man swiped his sword in front of him and somehow managed to deflect the bolt as he dove aside.

A smaller tendril of energy managed to strike the Kenku in one shoulder, and it fell to a knee as that side of him seemed to collapse. The Zmeu charged forward, both of its blades raised before it in a stabbing motion.

The mace rod had barely cleared my coat when I shouted, " _Mac-th_ _ôl!"_ The ball tore out of my pocket as the magical line connected, and the spikes were fully extended as I whipped the mace around. When I had it spinning in the right direction, I timed the release, shouting, " _Hant!_ "

I was grateful that Q had allowed me to practice with the mace. Otherwise my aim would have been off entirely.

As it was, I missed by several feet. But the sound of the projectile made the Zmeu spin defensively, with one of his blades whipping toward the threat. It gave the Kenku time to retreat, but it also had the unfortunate side effect of drawing the Zmeu toward us.

"Feck!" Bailey shouted as he started retreating. I stood my ground as the serpent man thundered through the brush, holding the mace rod out to my side.

When I felt like the Zmeu was in position, I shouted the command for the mace again. The spell lashed out unseen, summoning the ball back toward the rod.

I'd made sure the Zmeu was in line with where the mace ball had disappeared, and I had the satisfaction of seeing him spin back around to try and deflect the spiked ball as it shot back toward the rod. As fast as he was, the spell was faster, and the spikes buried themselves in his chest.

Even as he fell, the ball ripped free from him, leaving an arc of green blood in its wake as it resumed its path to the rod. When it reached it, the line snapped back in place, and the ball started spinning round.

The simple iron spikes had managed to do more damage than my bullets earlier had, mostly because they weren't simple iron spikes. Goblin spell-work had made them more dangerous than any mortal weapon. And while iron might not be the bane to the Zmeu that it was to the Fae, nobody enjoyed two inches of steel in their chest.

But despite the injury, the Zmeu rose. As he did, my mace was already flying, and he barely dodged aside as the ball whipped past a second time.

Learning from the first encounter, the Zmeu darted to the side, keeping from coming in line between myself and the ball. I ran as well, but in the opposite direction. He skidded to a stop before coming back toward me, but I gained a few seconds. It wasn't much when dealing with a supernaturally fast opponent, but it was enough to give the Kenku time to get back in the game.

The bird man almost took the Zmeu's head as he stormed past. Only some extra-sensory warning alerted him to the danger, and he ducked aside as the sword swung overhead.

I left them to it, continuing on through the forest.

As I made my way back to the clearing, I kept an eye out for Bailey or Olivia. I spotted the phoenix, who was still perched on her nest. But when I looked around, there was no-one else to be seen. I started out into the garden, but froze when I saw someone standing next to a tree across the way.

A pair of red eyes was staring out at the phoenix, a look of undisguised glee somehow twisting the Hag's features into a more grotesque mask of inhumane mockery. The bird hadn't noticed her presence, although to be honest it didn't look like it would matter if it did. It didn't seem to be able to keep its head up, and was instead curled in the nest, awaiting its fate.

Sensing that she was close to her goal, the Hag took a slow step away from the tree. She was so focused on the bird that she didn't know I was there until the bullet struck the trunk beside her head.

Her head swung around like lightning, and then she was gone, retreating back into the woods before my second round could reach her. I cursed my bad aim, and made my own retreat into the shadows of the trees.

I was careful, keeping my Beretta pointed down as I ran. The ground was uneven, as natural forests often are, and I did everything I could to keep from tripping over a root. My magically enhanced glasses made it easier to see, but there were still shadows looming that might hide danger. The forest had gone silent except for the sounds of battle behind me. I kept my head on a swivel, watching for trouble.

But despite my diligence, I completely missed the threat until the python dropped from the branches overhead.

Glowing emerald eyes snapped toward my face as I flinched back, bringing my gun around. The snake's head twisted enough to allow it clamp down, and I screamed as its teeth bit at my arm. Had I had my spell-worked jacket, I might have had some protection. But I didn't, and the snake used its hold on my forearm to leverage its coiling attack, which began to wrap around my arm and body.

I dropped to the forest floor as it tightened its grip. My right hand released the mace and dove for my boot, and as soon as it was free from its sheath, I tore the silver bladed knife across the snake's body.

The thing writhed in pain as hot blood spurted across me. Despite the glowing eyes giving it a supernatural appearance, the snake was a living thing. But with its mind twisted to the hag's will, it refused to give up, even when I hacked it in half.

Only after I plunged the knife into its eye socket did it finally give up the fight.

I was careful when I peeled its teeth from my arm. Thankfully it hadn't hit an artery, or I'd be done. As it was, I had several dozen punctures in my arm, each bleeding profusely.

I put the handle of the knife between my teeth while I grabbed the left sleeve of my jacket. As I tore the ripped fabric off, I tried to catch my breath and slow my heart-rate. My eyes were constantly on the move, carefully including up as well as down in my hasty inspection of my surroundings. I backed up to a tree to protect at least one side while I tried tying the jacket sleeve around the bite wounds.

I'd just finished my crude bandage with a low growl chilled my heart.

Afraid of moving, I slowly turned my head to the right. A whimper might have escaped my lips as I saw a leopard creep toward me from out of the shadows, its emerald eyes bright in the darkness around us. They bobbed in the night, leaving tendrils of magic in their wake.

And, of course, because that wasn't enough, a second pair appeared behind it, as another big cat prowled toward me.

Knowing I didn't stand a chance against them, I darted away, hoping I could find some help. I spit my knife back into my hand while I cursed myself for leaving the mace behind, but there was no time. Even before I'd taken three steps, the cats had cut the distance between us in half.

Shoving the knife into a pocket, I pulled a party popper and pointed it behind me. The first cat was only five yards away when I shouted the command word, and made the night turn to day.

Fool that I was, I forgot that the spell also blacked out my glasses, and I gave a startled yelp as I tripped and fell to the ground.

When the popper had finished its light show, my glasses returned to normal, and I cast a glance back. Both cats were stunned from the flash. I took it for a miracle that their magically luminescent eyes weren't immune to it, and was on my feet and running toward the clearing before they could recover.

As I burst from the tree line, I looked around for any sign of help.

Instead, I found myself in a war zone.

At some point the Zmeu and Kenku had been separated, and wound up with different opponents. Bailey was squared off against the serpent man, who was half buried under the ground and sinking deeper. The Kenku was retreating from bolts of energy that the Hag was throwing at him, and I saw one hit his chest and send him flying back.

Further away, Olivia and Sal were fending off a green eyed red ape that was trying to crush them. The thing flung Sal away, and charged toward the girl, who appeared to be out of weapons.

A furious roar drew my eyes back across the garden, where I watched as the Zmeu burst from his earthen prison. His body grew, much like Sal did, only much larger, and infinitely more terrifying. The fatigues the man had been wearing burst into pieces as he dropped to all fours. His skin, already unnaturally tough, thickened into a scaly hide as his limbs grew to the size of tree trunks. My eyes widened as I watched his torso expand, and wicked ridge-plates sprung out along both his spine and his sides.

His head seemed to split in three, as if sliced open. But the wounds closed as the three segments reformed into full necks. Within moments, a dragon's head sat atop each, with smoke curling through wickedly sharp teeth. Barbed horns swooped back from its skulls. The middle head reeled back, a bright red stone glinting in its forehead. And as the other two let forth might bellows, the center unleashed a tower of flame into the night sky.

Everyone froze for just a moment, taking in the awesome sight of the incredible beast, before it sprang into motion. The garden was in chaos, with everyone fighting or fleeing for their lives.

Which meant I had no help coming when I heard the soft cough of the leopards behind me.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

When the leopards charged, I did the only thing I could. I opened fire with the Beretta and prayed my aim was true.

As they came, I fished around in my coat pocket for one of my last weapons. When my fingers closed on the brass knuckles, I quickly slipped them into the grips and prepared myself for the worst.

The first couple of shots missed, but I managed to catch one of the cats in the chest and head as they grew closer. It stumbled and fell, but like the wolves before, the beast was possessed with something that kept it going past what should have been possible.

The second cat leapt at me, its claws and teeth extended as it bore me to the ground. I put the remaining rounds into it, and swung a right cross at its head.

The magically enhanced knucks struck the leopard beside its ear, and unleashed a kinetic spell stored within. The blow was strong enough to snap the cat's neck, and it landed atop me, its teeth sliding across the side of my neck.

Its luminescent eyes, previously a brilliant green, slowly began to darken. I shoved at the animal, the weight of it great, but I managed to push it off. As I slid out from beneath it, I saw that the second was beginning to rise. A savage wound glistened wetly on its forehead, one of the rounds piercing its skull and spilling brain matter across its face. But somehow it was still standing, even if it was weaving back and forth.

Popping the spent magazine from the Beretta, I fumbled for the backup as I took off across the field, heading toward where Sal was still fighting the ape. I kept glancing back at the cat to make sure it didn't suddenly break into a sprint, but it seemed disoriented. I slowed once I'd put some distance between us, and finished loading the handgun.

Before I could raise the gun to aim, a dark form sprinted between us.

"Feck off, ye donkey lover!" Bailey shouted over his shoulder. I jumped as I saw the rat-robed Fear Dearg bolt past the leopard, not sparing it a glance. Even as the cat tracked his movements, the reason for his frantic flight lumbered upon us.

The Zmeu, fully transformed into its dragonoid Balaur form, rumbled by. I jumped backward, wanting more space between myself and the monstrous beast. While its body only stood fifteen feet high, its three heads bobbed higher as it trampled the cat. Its cry was cut short as it was turned to a bloody splatter beneath the Balaur's great mass.

But as it went, one of the dragon's heads turned my way, and the thing started skidding to a stop.

"Shit!" I shouted as it spun around, moving entirely too fast for something its size. I made a break for the others, and saw that Sal had finished off the ape was heading my way. I waved him off, but he charged past me. "Sal!"

The salamander, once again the size of a terrier, burst into flames as he ran. I saw the dragon heads all fixate on his glowing form. When he darted to one side, the Balaur turned with him, heading for the tree line.

If Sal was hoping to lose the Balaur in the trees, he'd be sorely disappointed. As his form disappeared beneath the ferns, the dragon charged after him. I watched as the massive bulk charged into the woods, knocking over trees as if they were bowling pins.

"Woody!" I heard from behind me, and I spun around to find Olivia running my way. Behind her, the Kenku was down, and the Hag was heading our way.

"This way!" I shouted as Olivia reached me. I took her hand, and headed for the hedge maze I'd seen earlier. The Hag's screech chased us as we ran among the eight foot tall bushes. I immediately started weaving back and forth, dragging the girl behind me. We came to a dead-end, and had to circle back to continue on.

We were running down a straight portion of the maze, that somehow seemed longer than the maze had appeared from the outside, when I saw the Hag stepped into sight at the other end. I skidded to a stop and fired off two rounds, but Olivia bumped into me from behind, throwing off my aim.

The Hag laughed, a hoarse cackle punctuated by maniacal screeches, as she rose her arms to either side. Her laugh changed to that odd slithering language, and for a moment I thought the air around her hands began to waver like heat over pavement.

Before we could flee, the hedges around us became alive.

Branches surged around us, weaving a thicket between us. I tried to hold on to her, but the bushes wrenched us apart.

"Olivia!" I shouted, and heard her reply from only a few feet away. I tried going for the pocket where I'd stored the silver knife, but the hedge branches tightened around me, pinning me in place.

I could hear the hag's cackle growing closer, the leaves rustling as the thicket pulled at me. My breath grew panicked as the foliage to my left began to part, allowing the Hag to pass, and I saw her maddened red eyes appear from within.

Her laughter died as we both heard an approaching rumble. I saw her cock her head to one side, an alarmed look crossing her face, just before the thicket exploded.

The bundle of branches that held me rocked as something hit it, and I twisted around as I was thrown through the air. The world spun several times before I landed, the hedge remnants around me softening my fall where they didn't stab at me painfully. I thrashed about, freeing myself from my flora prison, and frantically looked around.

When I was clear of the trap, I saw that little remained of the hedge maze after the Balaur had bull-dozed its way through.

There was no sign of the Hag or the dragon, but I saw Olivia clawing free from her own entanglement of branches. The two of us rose and ran to each other, all the while watching for anymore threats.

"Where did it—" I began, but Olivia pointed and cut me off.

"Back into the forest," she said. I looked, and saw where more trees were down behind us. We listened and heard explosions further out, and the furious scream of the Hag.

"Where's Sal?" I asked, turning about. There was no sign of the fire elemental, nor of Bailey.

"I don't know," Olivia panted, trying to catch her breath. As she did, I searched about for my gun, and managed to find it in the remnants of the hedge. I'd lost my brass knuckles somewhere along the way, but at least my rings were still on.

"What do you have left?" I asked her, and saw that she still had my satchel bag.

Rather than replying, she pulled her mace rod out. "Sorry, I lost the knife."

"That's okay, I lost almost everything," I informed her.

Before we could say anything more, a loud crack of thunder shook us, which was followed by an echoing bellow of pain.

"Was that the dragon?" Olivia said, stunned.

"Hopefully," I replied, before taking her hand and leading her back toward the other side of the clearing.

As we ran, I looked about, and noticed the only other being in sight was the phoenix, who was still perched on its nest. Even the Kenku was missing. There was blood where it had fallen earlier, and a glint caught my eye.

"Wait," I said, skidding to a stop. I led us over to the wet patch of grass, and saw that the Kenku's sword lay not far away. I picked it up, and felt a tingle of power run through my hand at its touch. The blade glinted in the low light, the bright silver of its edge almost having a radiance of its own. I swung the sword around, surprised by how light it was. There was practically no weight to it, and I inspected the sparkling blade.

The loud rumble warned us that the Balaur was returning. We both turned, and watched as it charged out of the forest, sending massive trees toppling across the clearing. The statuary and sculpted bushes were crushed beneath it as the dragon stormed into the open space, its two remaining heads roaring flame.

The head on the left was gone. Nothing remained but a blackened smoking ruin. The neck dragged down beside the rest of the body, causing the beast to stumble as it tried to run.

There was no sign of the Hag, but I saw that the Kenku rode atop the right-side head. It appeared that the bird man had buried two smaller knives into the back of the neck, and were using those to maintain his grip. The head itself spit fire up into the air, unable to reach the creature. The middle head snapped at him, but he kept the neck between them.

Olivia and I ran to the side as the thing slowly lumbered past, its feet stomping and stumbling. "Hey!" I shouted, waving the blade in the air. The Kenku turned its head, the feathers of its face and neck matted down in blood. When it saw me, I lobbed the sword up, hoping I didn't end up causing more harm than good.

My aim was high, and the Kenku leapt up atop the neck and barely caught the hilt. As he twisted around, he swung the sword down, and the silver blade shone right before it sliced through the beast's neck.

The remaining head bellowed in agony, and the body shook as a second neck sagged to the ground. The Kenku lost his balance as he fell, but never hit the ground. Instead, the middle head of the Balaur snapped out, crushing the bird man's torso between its teeth.

Blood filled the air, but the warrior never made a sound. The dragon crunched its jaw, trying to snap the bird man in half, before flinging its head to the side. We watched as the body arced through the air, before crashing to the ground not far from the throne.

Then the dragon's head turned to us, its glowing eyes narrowing as it roared.

" _Mac-th_ _ôl!_ " Olivia shouted, and I heard the sound of the mace ball ripping through my bag and connecting to the rod. I held my gun ready, and pulled my silver knife out.

As the dragon ran at us, the left side of its face suddenly burst into ice. Its roar turned into a howl of pain as the ice spread across its snout and covered both eyes. The Balaur's advance floundered as it shook its head to try and rid itself of the ice.

"Hey!" Bailey shouted as he ran past the beast, heading further away from us. "Don't just stand there! Run!"

We took his advice, and started running for the tree line. Bailey disappeared from sight, while the Balaur lifted its head and unleashed a torrent of flame across the sky. It didn't seem to be aiming at anyone, but the heat from the steady blasts began to melt the ice blinding it.

I glanced at my watch, but saw that the face had been broken at some point. "How much longer until dawn?" I shouted to Olivia.

"Not long! Just a few— LOOK OUT!" she screamed, just as something hit me from behind with the strength of a tank.

I crashed to the ground, feeling ribs crack as whatever hit me drove me down. I gasped for breath, and a familiar odor filled my nostrils as the Hag crouched over me. I tried to move, but she had me pinned on my side, and I couldn't get either arm free.

" _Die!_ " the hag screeched as she lifted her right arm up. I looked around to see her bloodied face twisted in hate as she swiped down at me.

Her nails were millimeters away when Olivia's mace caught the hag on the left side of her face. The blow struck like thunder, and the hag was thrown aside as the spell-worked iron crushed her cheek and eye-socket. Her nails barely scratched at my throat and face as she tumbled away.

She fell into a heap a few feet to my left, her body shaking as she howled. Olivia closed on her, swinging the mace down toward her skull. But the hag sensed the danger and whipper around to grab the ball in her bare hand. Her scream filled the forest as the spikes shredded her flesh, but she managed to keep hold of the weapon. She pulled at the ball, wrenching the rod out of Olivia's grasp. The weapon was slung aside, and the girl took a step back as the hag turned back to her, her ruined face unrecognizable save for the hate filling her one good eye.

"Run," I rasped out, my ribs aching as I rolled onto my back. Olivia glanced to me, and I repeated myself. " _Run_."

The girl hesitated, clearly not wanting to abandon me. But when the Hag whipped her arm forward again, she had no choice. The grating language of the witch turned her blood into a horde of creatures. The crimson hornets we'd seen before were joined by garnet scorpions and bats. In moments, the blood beasts swarmed at the girl, who bolted across the field.

I tried crawling away, using my legs to push me, but my ribs were in agony. As long as I didn't move, the pain was bearable. But if I didn't move, the pain would end, because I'd be dead.

Somehow I managed to roll onto my stomach, which only hurt when I breathed. But I managed to get my self on all fours and started pushing myself along the ground, my left arm throbbing from the snake bite earlier. I was still too far from the tree line, and the thrashing Balaur had all but cleared its vision. If the hag didn't get me, the dragon would.

"Nooo…" the hag rasped, and a second later the weight of her fell upon me. I screamed as she gripped my shoulder and flipped me. I gasped as stars filled my vision.

"You will pay for your interference," she gurgled, her broken jaw and gaping eye-socket dripping gore as she leaned across me. As she did, I noticed that one of her arms was missing, and the rest of her looked like it had been burned and chewed by the Balaur. She stank of cinder and death.

I swung at her with my right arm, but she saw it coming, and caught my wrist. A quick twist snapped it, and I screamed as the knife tumbled free.

"Yesss…" she sighed, her voice practically orgasmic as she relished in my pain. "Now you will die. But perhaps I will find a use for you yet." She leaned closer, and I turned my head away as her tongue licked at my face. "Perhaps I will make you a pet, so that your agony is lasting."

"Nah," I managed to wheeze, the effort hurting. "I think I'll just kill you."

My comment caused her to draw back, and what was left of her face twisted into a crazed smile. "I think not, mortal. But if you wish for death's sweet release, I will accommodate you…"

She released my wrist, and sank her three inch long fingernails into my chest.

I gasped, flailing my injured arms at her. The pain was excruciating, but she'd somehow missed hitting any organs. Her broken smile widened as she leaned close again. "… eventually."

I wrapped my right arm around her and lifted my left up, aiming my gun. She heard the sound of it cocking, and her eyes flew wide. "How about we just end this now?"

Five shots rang out. Her body flinched as each struck home.

When the gun grew silent, she looked down at herself, and then back to me. Her smile slowly returned, and a cackle escaped her throat. "You missed."

"No," I whispered, allowing myself to smile. "I really didn't."

The Hag's smile froze when she heard the Balaur growl behind her.

"Flame on."

Before she could react, I seized her with my arms, holding her close. Her fingernails slipped from my chest, but I held on, keeping her pinned. She screamed as the dragon's fire washed over us, setting us both ablaze.

Orange and yellow flames filled my vision, and I flinched as my world filled with light. But the ring on my finger grew cold against my skin, and the light hued toward violet. I could feel the heat, but it did not burn.

Well, it didn't burn me. The hag wasn't so lucky.

She thrashed in my arms as she wrenched about. Maybe if she'd been at her best, she could have torn me to pieces. But with her one arm pinned and her body already ravaged, the hag couldn't break free. Her scream echoed in my ears, until her breath burned out with her lungs. The heat turned her flesh to char, and her body collapsed across mine as she died.

I quickly shoved her burning body away from mine. What was left of her started crumpling into ash, and I rolled away from the burning pile. I managed to climb to my knees, and stopped to catch my breath. The grass and dirt all around me was still ablaze in yellow flames, but as I looked down at myself, I was surprised to see violet flames licking across every inch of my skin and what remained of my clothes. Despite the air around me being filled with smoke, my breathing came easily. As easily as it did with cracked ribs, at any rate.

Slowly, to avoid grinding my broken ribs, I rose, standing among the Balaur's flames. As I did, I looked up at it, and its snarling face a dozen feet away. It seemed disappointed that I wasn't dead, and bellowed a challenge. I simply stared at it, holding steady amongst the inferno around me.

The Balaur reared back, prepared to strike.

I held still, keeping its eyes on me.

It never saw the Kenku coming.

The bird man's leap carried it up and over the back of the dragon, its sword shining in the firelight. And as the dragon's last head started forward, the blade sliced through its skin as if it were wheat to be shorn.

The Kenku landed awkwardly, and fell on its side. The Balaur's head tumbled to a halt before me. I finally let out my breath, and collapsed to me knees.

The phoenix was safe, with only minutes to spare.

Debt paid.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

As the Balaur's flames dissipated, so too did the violet flames encompassing me.

The ring had protected me from the fires by bathing me in its own. Wherever flame tried to touch me, the violet fire had flared up. When the yellow and orange wildfire faded, I was left alone in a patch of scorched earth.

The smoke was still drifting away when Olivia arrived at my side. I saw that she was soaked to the bone as she franticly checked me over.

"How?" she asked, bewildered, as she stared at my unblemished skin.

"Magic," I replied, and then flinched when her hands ran over my chest. Bone ground against bone, and I grimaced and pushed her back with my good hand. "Hold on. I'm not quite in one piece."

Bailey slid to a halt beside us, his chest heaving. "Right then. Shall we be gettin' out of here?"

A familiar trill sounded, and I looked back to Olivia, relieved to see Sal whole and healthy. He was back to his normal size, and perched on the girl's sodden shoulder. "Hey buddy," I said, unable to keep the relief out of my voice.

"He came for me when the things were after me," she explained. "He led me to the pond. The blood things wouldn't enter the water."

More likely couldn't. Moving water was the bane of magic, but the still pond probably wouldn't do the blood beasts any favors either.

"Fine, fine," Bailey said urgently. "We should really be going."

"Why?" Olivia asked with a frown. "The Hag and the Zmeu are dead. There's—"

And then an angry phoenix descended upon us, burning with a livid flame.

"Whoa!" I shouted, reaching for Olivia to pull her behind me. She grabbed my wrist, which happened to be the broken one, and I squealed in pain. Bailey scrambled backward, and the phoenix turned to him, its screech piercing my brain.

The bird limped toward the Fear Dearg, leaving a trail of feathers and ash behind it. The little guy retreated, but tripped over a jutting stone as he backed away. He fell and the phoenix flapped furiously as it stumbled after him.

"Bailey!" I shouted, and ran toward him. I steered clear of the phoenix, who turned and screamed at me as I passed. It looked like it could barely lift its wings, and it was dragging itself along the ground. I managed to avoid a fiery blast it sent my way, not thinking of the ring that would have protected me.

When I reached Bailey, I started to pull him up. But the bird found a second wind, and leapt to the air. I grabbed the Fear Dearg and rolled him over, making sure the fire-rat robe was protecting him as the bird landed on him.

Seizing him by the collar of the coat, I dragged Bailey away as the bird toppled to the ground. The fire-rat robe was ablaze, but it quickly smothered the flames, leaving a rancid stench of burned hair in the air. I batted at the flames, sparks of lilac flashing as my hands smacked the robe.

When they were extinguished, I rolled the Fear Dearg over, and found him panting to catch his breath. His eyes were wide as he stared at the bird.

"Why is it attacking you?" I asked him. He shot me a glance, and then looked quickly away. My stomach dropped as I guessed at the source of his guilty countenance. I turned to look at the throne where the phoenix had been perched. The nest was still there, atop the seat.

The golden apple was gone.

"Bailey," I said, a desperate tone in my voice as I looked at the phoenix, which was once more staggering toward us. Olivia started forward, but I waved her back. "Bailey, give me the apple."

"But—"

"Bailey," I repeated. "It's not going to let you leave with it."

"But it's dying," he protested. "What difference does it make?"

I looked to Olivia, who was staring at the Fear Dearg with hope. Hope that he could escape with the apple, and share it with her. Hope that she could heal her brother. Hope that all the pain and fear would be worth something at the end of the night.

But the night had not yet ended.

"You gave me your word, Bailey," I reminded him softly. "Not until dawn."

The little guy hesitated, his long nose twitching as he fretted. He cast a glance to me, and then the bird. Then he dropped his gaze. "Yer right."

He fumbled in his robe, and a moment later withdrew the apple. It shone in the light from the phoenix, which shrieked at the sight of it.

Before the bird could charge, I plucked the apple from the Fear Dearg's hand and stepped toward the phoenix. It flinched back, erupting in another ball of defensive flame as it suspected an attack. But I simply crouched down and placed the apple before it.

As I withdrew, it eyed me, still suspicious. But its time was short, and it didn't have any to spare on me. The bird stepped forward and picked the apple up in its beak. Then, with a surge of flame, it took to the air.

It was halfway back to the nest when its strength gave out, and the phoenix collapsed to the ground in a flurry of feathers and flame.

"Is it dead?" Olivia asked breathlessly, her eyes watering as she watched the struggles of the poor creature.

Her answer came in the form of a woeful wail from the bird, who struggled but could not rise. One wing was done, and the other wavered weakly. It raised its head, crying out, its voice anguishing.

Unable to bear it, I stepped quickly to the bird. The others remained behind, cautious of the flames encircling it as it died. The phoenix turned its head as I approached, but didn't have the strength to fight.

I knelt beside it, grimacing as the pain in my chest grew. The ribs were throbbing, as was my wrist, but the wounds from the hag's nails were the worst. I could feel my blood beginning to burn. I glanced down at them, and saw odd green veins bulging around the wounds.

The bird cried softly, drawing my attention back. It was stretching its neck toward the apple, which had tumbled away from its grasp when it fell. The one wing still working dragged at the dirt, trying to pull it forward.

Reaching around it, I picked the apple up with my good hand. Its cry was little more than a whimper as it saw me take the fruit up, but then I reached for the bird as well. With my right wrist broken, it was difficult to manage, but I was able to cradle it in my arms and keep hold of the apple.

The phoenix's flames washed over my chest and arms as I rose, the violet light from the ring blending with the yellow-reds of the bird. I almost fell when a rib popped in my chest, but I managed to stay upright.

The bird twisted its head around, and I looked into the golden eyes of the phoenix. In that moment, I understood her, and what she was trying to accomplish. I couldn't say how, but I knew I needed to get her back to the throne with the apple.

I made my way to the throne as the bonfire in my arms grew. By the time we reached the living chair, I could barely see around the towering flames. I dropped to my knees again, and placed the bird in the nest.

The poor thing lifted her head, calling out. Her eyes were closed, but her head bobbed in the direction of the apple. I placed it beside her, and she nestled around it, cradling it beneath her wing. As she laid her head down, I stepped back.

A fireball erupted upward as the entire throne was engulfed in flames. I retreated further, until a stabbing pain in my chest sent me sprawling to the ground. I found myself staring up at the night sky, wondering where all the stars had gone. It took me a moment to realize that their light had all been washed about by the light of the coming dawn.

Olivia dropped down beside me and started probing at the wounds. Bailey arrived moments later, a hissing sound escaping his thin lips when he saw the veins growing on my chest.

"Poison," he said softly. "The Hag's claws were poisoned."

"Do you have anything?" Olivia asked. "Like the ointment earlier?"

The Fear Dearg searched his pockets, and retrieved the jar. "It's not strong enough to do anything for those," he said, indicating the veins. I felt a tightness on my face and neck, and figured there were matching lines from where the hag had scratched me.

"We have to try," she said, snatching the jar away from him. She quickly unscrewed the top and applied the ointment, sniffling to hold back her tears.

Another burst of flames from the throne caused them to turn, and I pulled at Bailey's robe. "We need to back up."

The Fear Dearg couldn't tear his eyes away from the inferno, but the two of them managed to grab me by the shoulders. They dragged me away, and propped me against one of the stones jutting from the grassy knoll. Olivia shifted around to rest beside. From that position, we watched as the phoenix died.

Within moments, there was nothing left of the bird. The flames began to die, until the last was spent. The throne was blackened from the fires, but remained intact. The parts unexposed to the flame were still green, the winding branches and vines too fresh and alive to burn.

The nest on the seat was mostly gone. Only the branches from Bailey's trap had survived, and encircled the phoenix's ashes, the unblemished apple, and the small clinquant egg.

"Oh," Olivia breathed, as she spotted the egg nestled in the ashes. It seemed to glow from an inner light, as golden and ruby hues played across its surface. The luminous shell pulsed with color, a steady heartbeat within casting light out into the world.

I couldn't be sure, as I couldn't see the horizon. Despite the damage done to the forest, there were still far too many trees shrouding the view of Lake Michigan. The shadows were still deep there in the glade, even as the sky overhead began to lighten.

But if I had to guess, I would bet that at the precise moment the sun crested the horizon, a tiny beak cracked the shell of the egg.

A soft cry came from the little bird within as it worked at freeing itself. Perhaps a minute passed before it tumbled out of the shell. It's body was fluorescent, a brilliant golden light shining from its small form. It stumbled toward the glittering apple, rubbing its slight beak against the flesh. It began pecking at it, until it had torn a strip free.

Another spasm of pain rocked me, and my eyes pinched shut as I clutched at my chest. Olivia held me while I struggled to breath. When I finally opened my eyes, my vision was blurred, and the sky was brighter.

"Woody," Olivia was whispering. She rocked my shoulder gently, and I lifted my head. She scooted closer so that she could help prop my head up again.

I realized that I'd passed out for a bit. The sky was turning blue overhead, but the blur wasn't clearing. I blinked, and realized what was wrong.

"Glasses?" I asked. Olivia shuffled, and placed my glasses back on my nose. With my lenses restored, I could see what she excited about.

The phoenix had grown in the short time that I'd been out. It wasn't anywhere near the size it had been before, but it was no longer an infant bird. It had finished the apple, consuming both flesh and core.

The bird spread her wings, and let out a piercing call of joy. The light in the sky seemed to glow brighter in response, and I couldn't help but smile.

Maybe fulfilling the Valkyrie's favor would kill me. But how many people can say they've watched a phoenix be reborn?

The bird shone as it pecked at the nest twice, and then took to the air. It soared the short distance to the fallen Kenku, who I could barely see from where I lay. Bailey shifted back so that Olivia and I could watch as the bird settled on the dark form. It bent its head down to its chest, and then rose again.

Light flickered as she took to the air, and Bailey rolled away with a startled yelp as the bird flew toward us. When she was overhead, she drew to a halt, before dropping down gently. I barely felt the weight of her as she alighted upon my stomach.

The little bird was beautiful. Young and fresh and full of life, the phoenix seemed to bristle with energy. She cocked her head to look at me, and after a moment, dipped it like she had to the Kenku. Then she took to the air, and soared up into the new dawn.

"You're welcome," I muttered tightly, figuring the bird had come to offer her thanks. But Olivia grew excited as she reached down to my chest.

"Woody, look!" she said as she plucked something from my shirt. I strained to focus on it, thinking at first it was just another burned piece of fabric. But as I recognized it, my body stiffened in surprise.

"What is it?" Bailey asked as he approached.

"A seed," Olivia said with some excitement. The small black seed, as small as a teardrop, seemed to glint in the light.

Movement drew our eyes, and we saw the Kenku rise. Bailey cursed in surprise, having assumed the creature was dead. But despite the savage injuries it had taken, the thing was whole and hearty as it turned to us.

It lifted one clawed hand to its mouth, touching its beak with its talons. I didn't understand, so it repeated the gesture, and then pointed toward me.

"Oh!" Olivia said, and preceded to shove the seed down my throat.

"Ack!" I gagged, coughing as I tried to force it down. It felt odd, and a warmth touched my throat where I felt it slide down. The warm feeling continued to grow, until I felt it spread along my chest and limbs.

The burning I'd felt in my chest, a painful searing sensation, faded beneath the comforting glow from the seed's power. A couple sharp pains stabbed at me, my ribs shifting unexpectedly. I grunted as my wrist spasmed, and felt a grinding sensation as the break healed. A glance down at my torn shirt confirmed that the green veins were receding, and the first of the puncture wounds had already closed.

"That's fekkin' incredible!" Bailey said, and bolted to his feet. He ran for the throne, where he sifted through the ashes. "There's three more!" he exclaimed excitedly, plucking more seeds out.

I sat up as my fatigue fled, and the pains receded. Olivia trembled where she crouched, her tears escaping as she kept looking back and forth between my healed body and the seeds in the Fear Dearg's hands. Sal bounced back and forth on her shoulders, excited at my recovery.

I offered her a hand, and helped her stand. Together we approached the Fear Dearg, who kept playing with the seeds. He looked up as he arrived, a calculating look on face.

"Give her two," I said before he could say anything.

"What?" the little guy said, his eyes wide.

"One for her, and one for her brother," I explained, gesturing toward Olivia's face. The stings from earlier in the night weren't too bad, but some she'd received from the second bout with the blood beasts were livid.

"Now see here," Bailey said, growing upset. "I've spent a lot on all o' this, and all I have ta show for it is these feckin' seeds."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Bailey, you collect things, right?"

"Right," he said said defensively.

"Well from where I'm standing, I can see a phoenix shell, phoenix ashes, and a dead Balaur."

Bailey blinked, and then took a look around. After a moment, he turned back, a slow smile spreading across his fuzzy face.

"Alright," he said, pointing at us. "But I get all of that, and one seed."

"Fine by me," I said, and held a hand out.

The Fear Dearg shuffled forward, and passed two seeds to me. I turned and gave one to Olivia, who hesitated. "But maybe we should…"

"No," I told her. "Those wounds are bad, and there's no telling what a Hag's blood would do to you over time. Best to treat it."

"I'll wait," she insisted, closing her hand over it. "If it takes only one to help my brother, then I'll take the other."

"Fair enough," I told her. "But you shouldn't wait long."

The girl nodded, and I passed her the other seed. As I stepped back, Bailey stepped toward the girl. I was confused, until he reached out to Sal. "Here ya go lil' fella," he said with a smile. "Don't think I'll be gettin' much from this."

Sal sat forward on Olivia's shoulder, and took what Bailey had proffered him. I saw him shake with excitement, an enthusiastic trill filling the air as he munched down on the apple's stem. I shot a smile at Bailey, who just shrugged.

As the Fear Dearg started to turn away, I saw him jump in shock. "Eh," Bailey said with a startled tone, drawing our attention around. When I turned, I saw that the Kenku stood beside us.

This was my first chance to get a good look at him. He was definitely bird-like, beak to talon. While his posture might have been human, very little else was. He stood as tall as me, but was broader in the shoulders. Black feathers covered every inch that was exposed, save for his long beak, and the wrinkled skin on his hands and feet. His eyes were as dark as his feathers, but they belied an intelligence. His wounds had been healed by his own seed, but the vest and straps he wore were still doused with blood.

He wore little in the way of clothing. Leather straps crisscrossed his chest over top a black vest of the same material. There was a hood attached to the back of the vest, but it lay limply across his back. Dark loose pants covered his legs down to his knees, although more straps wrapped around his thighs to holster weapons. There was a belt looped around his waist, with what appeared to be numerous pouches.

The sword was sheathed on his hip, and other weapons adorned his thighs and waist.

He turned to me, and slowly drew a knife from a sheath on his thigh. Bailey flinched, with one hand going for a pocket in his vest. But the bird man made no threatening movement. Instead, he held the knife out to me in his palm.

The blade was dual-edged, with long tapering sides that were shaped more like a diamond than I was used to seeing in a bladed weapon. The grip was slim, and a ring was set into the hilt. There was a dark fabric wrapped around the grip, but the blade and ring were the same bright silver as the sword blade.

"Uh, thanks," I said, taking the blade from the Kenku. It nodded slightly, and then withdrew another blade. That one was presented to Olivia, who took it hesitantly.

Bailey stepped forward, his palm out. "Thanks," he said, before the Kenku had even turned to him. When he did, his beady eyes seemed to narrow at the Fear Dearg, but he withdrew a blade and offered it to him a well.

The little guy took it happily and twirled it in his palm before turning toward the remains of the Balaur, whistling " _The Girl from Ipanema_ " as he went.

The Kenku inclined its head, and Olivia and I returned the gesture. Then the bird man was off, bounding toward the forest. A leap that may or may not have been just short of flying took him to the tree tops, where he disappeared toward the horizon.

"Lassie dear," Bailey called from a short distance away. When we looked, he was struggling to hold up one of the severed Balaur heads, the jewel in the forehead glinting in the sunlight. "How big is yer boot?"

It took Olivia a second to realize what he was asking. "You're not putting that in my car!" she shouted with alarm, setting out to join him.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled. "We can negotiate."

I smiled as the young girl set into the Fear Dearg. Sal trilled tiredly but pleasantly, and I echoed the sentiment. I trailed after the other two as I looked to the sky, where the new dawn continued to brighten.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

After some haggling, Bailey convinced Olivia to let him put some of his newfound fortune into her vehicle, and she gave us a lift home.

We dropped Bailey at a secluded entrance to Undertown that was close to where he lived. I offered to help carry things down, but the Fear Dearg grew defensive. "Yer just tryin' to find me stash," he accused darkly. We ended up just helping him get the odds and ends out of the car and into the tunnel, where he would handle things on his own.

"Twas nice workin' with ye," he said, offering a hand when we were done.

"Likewise," I told him, and we shook. I'd already given him my number, and he knew where I lived. He promised to let me know if he needed help with any future acquisitions, and I hoped that he didn't.

He said his goodbyes to Olivia, and then headed toward the dark places he dwelt.

Olivia was kind enough to then drop me off at home, before heading on to the hospice where her brother was treated. I wished her luck, and hoped the seed took care of him.

"Thanks again, Woody," she said with a smile.

"If you ever need anything, just let me know," I reminded her. We had exchanged numbers already.

"Will do," she assured me. Then she was off, a fresh hope fueling her after a long night.

I headed into my house, where I promptly collapsed on the couch.

* * *

I awoke a few hours later when the phone rang.

"Hello?" I asked, groggy.

"It worked!" Olivia sobbed happily. "Tavi's getting better!"

"That's great," I told her, a warmth spreading through me. "Don't forget to take yours too," I reminded her.

"Yes, doctor," she said with a laugh. "Thanks again."

When we hung up, I tossed the phone back on the coffee table, and was out like a light.

* * *

It was afternoon when the doorbell rang, and I was once more shaken from my slumber.

My stomach growled something fierce, but I bypassed the kitchen and instead headed for the front. Sal was on the cold stove cooking up a piece of white oak in pan, breathing red-hot flames across the wood to get it just right. I left him to it.

At the front, I peeked out the peephole, and braced myself when I saw who was waiting. Delaying wouldn't do any good, so I opened the door, and gave the woman a smile.

"Ms. Gard," I said pleasantly, if somewhat strained.

"Good afternoon, Summerchild," the tall blond woman said with a slight inclination of her head. At a few inches over six foot, she was a few inches taller than me. I found myself looking up into her vibrant blue eyes. "I came to thank you for your service."

The Nordic beauty wore a pants suit rather than battle garb, but her figure was still striking beneath the sharp cut of her clothing. I didn't see any weapons on her, but then, as she was a Chooser of the Slain, maybe she _was_ the weapon.

"My pleasure," I replied, even if it wasn't entirely the truth. "Although I would have appreciated a little more insight into what I was supposed to be doing."

"My apologies," she replied. "My associates and I became aware of the situation later than we would have preferred, and were not aware of the others pursuing the bird. Had we known, we would have taken other measures." She sounded genuinely apologetic, and I immediately felt bad about the dash of attitude I'd included in my statement.

"No problem," I told her. "We made it work."

"I heard that the Víðópnir was reborn this morning, and is already roosting upon her tree in her realm," Gard explained.

"Yeah, she ate the apple and took off," I informed her. "I figured that was what you expected?"

"Indeed," the woman said, inclining her head slightly. As her eyes trailed over me, her gaze seemed penetrating. "Although normally they leave the seeds behind?" she added, quirking a golden eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, about that," I said, suddenly nervous. "I needed help, and most of the seeds were taken as payment."

"Most," she repeated, a slight smile coming to her lips. "I must say, there is something… _different_ about you today."

I sniffed at myself, and regretted it instantly. "Yeah, a shower wouldn't hurt matters."

The Valkyrie, if that's what she was, simply shook her head at my misdirection. "Just beware. The power of the seed is incredible, but is not the equal of the apple. Do not confuse one for the other."

"Uh, okay," I said, confused by her cryptic words.

If she guessed at my ignorance, she didn't let it show. She inclined her head again, no doubt preparing to leave, but froze. Her eyes widened as she looked down at my hand. "Oh. My."

"What?" I asked, looking down. "Oh, yeah. I needed some help, so I called in my own favor."

"I see," she replied. The sound of her voice chilled me. There was something to it, something mixed between shock, amusement… and warning. "Well, I appreciate all that you did. Although your actions were taken to balance things, I feel somewhat in your debt. Should you ever be in need, I would be happy to aide you as appropriate." She withdrew a card from her suit pocket, and passed it along to me.

It was a corporate card for Monoc Securities; the same firm that had delivered the feather. There was a logo that looked like a single eye embossed on the paper, along with a telephone number. There wasn't a name, address, or anything else accompanying it.

"Thanks," I said. My hope was to never see the Chooser again; the two times I had, I'd almost ended up dead. "To be honest, I'm surprised you turned to me. This type of thing would seem to be better suited to others with… better resources."

The woman's eyebrow arched again. "Perhaps. On the other hand, perhaps you were the best choice for this matter. There are those that can see more than others, and they thought you were up to the task."

I didn't know what to make of that comment, but I nodded all the same. "Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me." After a pause, I added, "Although, maybe next time you could find something a little less dangerous?"

The Valkyrie smiled at that, a smile that gave me goose bumps. "But where is the fun in that?"

I watched her leave, and then headed back inside, wondering at the chill in the summer air that gave me shivers.

* * *

While eating a late lunch, my phone beeped with a text message. The tone had been selected by Q, who had chosen a notification that played the instrumental chord to ' _I ain_ _'_ _t fraid no ghost'_.

Checking the message, I saw that it was from Penny Wells, the secretary slash personal assistant to Deputy Chief Inspector Tobiah Robbins. Most of my contract work with the city went through his office at the Chicago Fire Prevention Bureau. They brought me in to satisfactorily explain the unexplainable.

 _Tobiah wants you in tomorrow to consult on a mysterious fiery crater up in Northfield._

I quickly typed up a response. _Sounds interesting. What_ _'_ _s the initial take?_

I waited a minute, and groaned when I got her reply.

 _Reports haven_ _'_ _t filed. But he wants your opinion, seeing as amateur video shows you there. S.I. is heading off any inquiry into you, but be prepared. Happy B-day._

I responded saying I'd be in, and added writing up some reports — honest and otherwise — to my exciting afternoon plans. One would give a somewhat true telling of the evening's events, at least enough to satisfy the C.F.D. brass that was in the know. The other would be for the general public, and would make no mention of phoenixes or Zmeus or Kenku warriors.

"Hey, look at the bright side," I said to Sal, who's eyelids were drooping after he'd finished his own lunch. "Maybe I'll get paid for this after all."

The salamander belched a fireball in response, and curled up for a nap while I headed upstairs to clean up.

* * *

A few hours later, the initial reports were done, and I was back on the couch. I'd edit them as needed, based on what the police and investigators filed. That, and how much was caught on tape.

I'd begged off a couple friends that wanted to go out and celebrate the evening, telling them that I'd been up the all night working. I promised to catch up with them over the weekend, and then settled in for a relaxing evening at home.

At some point I drifted off, and dreamt strange dreams of flaming birds and fire-breathing dragons. Events played out differently in the shadowy recesses of my mind, and by the end, the Lampad I called Violet had replaced Olivia in her role. As the sun rose, sparking not the phoenix's rebirth but the Valkyrie's instead, the beautiful girl with amaranthine eyes kissed me, making all of my pains go away.

I awoke on the couch, finding myself staring into those same beautiful eyes.

"Hey, whoa!" I said, shooting up. The Lampad's gaze followed me, her cloaked form crouched beside the couch. "Uh, hi there. Wasn't expecting you."

The Lampad tilted her head curiously as a soft smile played on her lips. "You survived."

"Yeah," I said dumbly. "Thanks to you."

The girl inclined her head slightly. "Welcome."

I fidgeted, running my thumb on the ring she'd given me. "I suppose you're here for this," I said, slipping the ring off.

I held it out to her, but she didn't take it.

Instead, she frowned slightly. She looked from the ring back to me, a pensive look upon her beautiful face. "You refuse?"

"Uh, refuse what?" I asked. "I thought you were lending me this for the night."

The girl gave me a confused smile. "Lasting," she said softly. "Your gift. Lasting." She twisted her hand, and once more the torch appeared in her hand. The light wavered softly, casting a lilac hue across her face. "My gift. Lasting."

Just as quickly as it had appeared, the torch faded out of sight, as if reality were folding around it. As it did, the Lampad reached up to my hand to close my fingers over the ring. "Lasting."

"Oh," I said, dumbfounded. "How long, then?" I asked, completely out of my depths.

"As long as my light burns," she said softly, warmly. Her smile widened, and my pulse quickened at the sight.

"Your English is getting better," I whispered as the Lampad slowly drew closer. My eyes fell to her plump lips, still curled in a soft and enticing smile.

"I learn," she said softly, before closing the distance between us. Her lips pressed to mine, and my body burned with an inner warmth as she kissed me. I lifted a hand to grasp the back of her neck, drawing her closer as the kiss deepened. My heart soared as my head grew dizzy. I couldn't get enough of those silken lips, her sweet breath mingling with mine.

A soft cough from across the room interrupted the moment, and we both separated to look.

Qilluhrang stood at the door to the basement stairwell, an amused twist to his thin lips. His asymmetrical features and marbled jade-white skin looked alien compared to the Lampad's beauty, but the expression on his face was all-too-human.

"Didn't mean to interrupt," the goblin said with a smirk, sarcasm lacing his words.

The Lampad nodded to him, and then turned back to me. She kissed my cheek, and then disappeared in a swirl of shifting amethyst light.

"Welcome home," I said gruffly as I stood, clearing my throat. My pulse was still quick, but I slipped the ring back on my right hand and went over to greet my roommate.

"You survived," he said, echoing the Lampad's own observation. Somehow, his statement seemed more surprised than hers had been, as if he had expected to return and a find me otherwise.

"It was a long night," I told him. "Sorry I didn't message you."

The goblin nodded, and started to turn back toward the basement stairs. Before he did, his red eyes caught sight of the ring, and he froze.

"Woody…" he said, full of disbelief.

"What?" I asked, alarmed.

The goblin looked at me, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I leave you alone for one little adventure, and you end up marrying a Handmaiden of Hecate?"

His words left me gaping. Before I could respond, he shook his head one last time and turned to the stairs, heading down.

"No," I finally said, following after him. "It's not like— It's just a fire protection ring," I explained. "I didn't marry her, Q. Really. I didn't. Q?"

The goblin just descended, and my gaze trailed after him.

"Wait, did I?"

* * *

Later that night, after Q had settled in from his journey, I visited him down in his lab in the subbasement. I filled him in on everything he'd missed. When I was finished, he asked the all-important question that had clearly been bugging him the entire time.

"You didn't use gloves, did you?" he asked, a scowl on his face.

"What?" I asked, thrown for a second. When he gestured toward the drawer containing the scriving bone, I floundered. "Oh, uh, of course I did."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically. "Because if you had, it wouldn't have done this."

He opened the drawer. When I looked inside, my eyes bulged.

The drawer was a shallow space, with only a few odds and ends inside. One of them was the scriving bone, which rested peacefully amongst the rest.

Every inch of the drawer, not to mention all of the items inside, were scribbled with Goblinese. The spell looked familiar, and I realized that everything inside was covered in the compass spell I'd used earlier.

While the scriving bone was still, everything else was shifting back and forth, as if searching for some long lost piece of itself. Even the drawer itself wiggled, no doubt with each piece of wood searching to find the rest of the tree it had come from.

"Weird," I said, my eyes wide as I looked back at the goblin. "Don't know how that happened."

Q simply grunted and slammed the drawer shut.

"Well, at least you're free of the Chooser," he grumbled, and started taking an inventory on everything I'd taken from his arsenal. I'd already told him I'd reimburse him for the things I'd lost. We'd recovered some of it, but there were still a few things he'd have to remake. As part of my repayment, I was lending him the Kenku's knife. He said there were some incredible spells on it that allowed its blade to cut things that normal steel couldn't, and the manufacture was unique. Which explained how his sword had done more damage than my bullets. Q was hoping to figure out how to duplicate the effect for his own work.

"Yeah," I said. At the mention of the Valkyrie, I recalled something that had been bugging me. "Hey, why does she keep calling me Summerchild?" I asked.

Q paused, and spared a look over his shoulder. "Probably nothing."

"Well, she wrote it in the note," I reminded him. "She also said it today. _And_ she called me that in the tunnels last time."

The goblin shrugged, returning to his work. "Most likely read up on you after your first meeting. Knows about your birthday."

"Maybe," I admitted. "Just seemed odd."

"I'd be less worried about nicknames, and more worried about your reputation," he grumbled.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

The goblin turned back around, casting a dubious look my way. "Woody, the Rothchild Forest is a place of Faerie make. There were probably all sorts of things lurking about, watching that battle."

"So?"

"Sooo…" he said, sarcastically dragging out the word. "Word's going to get around."

"About me?" I said doubtfully. "I didn't actually do anything."

Q let loose a long suffered sigh. "Woody, you've been touched by the fey light of Greek Fire. You've been bathed in both dragon flames and phoenix fire. You've eaten from a fruit of immortality. You dueled a Hag and won, and aided in slaying a Balaur. You earned the respect of a Kenku warrior, and you've allied yourself with the servant of a very powerful man."

"You mean Marcone?" I asked. "He wasn't really involved in any of it. Only Gard."

"No," the goblin said softly. "I don't mean Marcone."

My thoughts drifted to the card, and the company name upon it. I'd have to do some research, and figure out just who it was I was apparently associating myself with.

"I suppose I shouldn't mention that I cut myself shaving earlier," I said casually, afraid to bring up the subject. But his comment about the seed had reminded me, and I knew I'd have to tell him sooner or later.

"So?" he said, his concentration back on the list.

"Well," I said slowly, drawing his attention back. I pointed to my face, and the goblin rose to inspect the wound.

Or lack there of.

"Where is it?" he asked, frowning in confusion.

"It's healed up," I said softly. "There's only a slight abrasion, like there'd be several days out."

The goblin stared at the slightly flushed skin that remained over what had been a bloody mess a few hours earlier when I'd tiredly cleaned myself up. Then he looked to me, his red eyes appraising me with entirely too much interest.

"Interesting," was all he said, and it gave me a slight chill.

"Well, I'm going to head up," I said, deciding to leave before the goblin decided to dissect me.

"Good night, Woody," he said with a thoughtful tone, turning back to his work.

"Night, Q," I said, heading for the door.

"Oh, and Woody?" he said, drawing me back. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," I told him, and began the journey back upstairs.

It'd been a long twenty-four hours, and I hadn't had time to process everything that had happened. His words haunted me, and I wondered exactly what I was getting myself into.

I'd been fascinated by the supernatural ever since I learned of its existence. First out in Lake Providence, and then there in Chicago, I'd seen and heard about things that boggled the mind. Incredible and terrifying things that left me craving to know more about the world beyond the world. I'd even been eager to dabble with Q's constructs and goblin magic.

But quite suddenly, I realized I was no longer just a bystander watching the supernatural world from the outside. I was knee-deep in it, and sinking fast. And worse, I still didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I'd stumbled through with what little knowledge I had, thinking only of the moment. If Q's observations were correct, I might be deeper than I thought, and drawing more attention by the minute.

It was time I figured out just what was happening, before I ended up dead from sheer ignorance. My heart was chilled at the thought, knowing how close I'd come that morning. If the bird hadn't dropped that seed on my chest…

Even as I fretted, a warm feeling overcame me. I clenched my right hand, feeling the comforting ring there. I thought of the Lampad that had given it to me. And I thought of Sal, and Q, and even Olivia and Bailey. And at those thoughts, a little of the tension eased from my shoulders.

Maybe I was getting in too deep; maybe I was already in over my head.

But whatever came next, I knew I wouldn't be facing it alone.


End file.
